> 


PRINCETON,     N.    J. 


^ 


I 


Shelf. 


Division .  . 

Section 

Number 


r*. 


* 


' )  f 


Waffle         THE     ^^      f/ 

Great  Chriftian  Doctrine 

O  F 

ORIGINAL  SIN 

Glided  ; 

Evidences  of  it's  "Truth  produced,, 

AND 

Arguments  ta  the  Contrary  anfwered. 

Containing,    in  particular, 

A  Reply  to  the  Objections  and  Arguings  of 
Dr.  John  Taylor,  in  his  Book,  trititlecf, 
"  The  Scripture-Doctrine  of  Original  Sin  pro- 
11  pofed  to  free  and  candid  Examination,  8cc, 

By  the  late  Reverend  and  Learned 

Jonathan  Edwards,  A.M. 

Prefident  of  the  College  of  Nezu-Jerfey. 

Matth.    ix.  12.  They    that   be  whole ^  need [  not  a  Phyjkian  5   but 

they  that  are  fick. 
—  -Et  haec  non  tantum  ad  Peccatores  referenda   eft  ;  quia  in 
omnibus  Maledictionibus  primi  Hominis,  oinnesejus  Gene- 
rationes  conveniunt.---  R.  Sal.  Jarchi. 

Propter  Concupifcentiam,  innatam  Cordi  humano,  dicitur,  I.-t. 
Iniquitate  genitus  Turn  ;  alque  Senfus  eft,  quod  a  Nativitate 
implantatum  fit  Cordi  humano  Jeizer  bajrang,  Figmentuiri 
malum.-—  Aden-Ezra. 

Ad  Mores  Natura  recurrit 

damnatos,  fixa  et  mutari  nefcia.--- 

Dociles  imitaridis 

turpi  bus  et  pravis  ornnes  fumus.—  Juv* 


BOSTON,     NEW-ENGLAND: 

Printed  and  Sold  by  S.  Rneeland,  o^pofue  to  the  Probate- 
Office  in    Queen- ftreet.     1758. 


■ 


A  brief  Account    of  the   Book  and  it's 

ATJT  HO  R. 

AS  the  Rev.  Author  of  the  following  Piece  has  been 
removed   by  Death,  before  its  coming  into  public 
View,  Cuflom  has  made  it  decent  to  introduce  ic 
with  a  prefatory  Page. 

The  Copy  he  brought  to  the  Prefs  fometime  the  laft 
Year,  and  a  Number  of  Sheets  pa(Ted  his  own  Review. 
But  a  Variety  of  Incidents  retarded  finiming  the  Work 
till  now. — It  is  hoped,  no  material  Miftakes  of  the  Printer 
have  efcaped  Correction,  befides  what  are  noticed  in  the 
Table  of  Errata. 

They  that  were  acquainted  with  the  Author,  or  know 
his  juft  Character,  &  have  any  Tafte  for  the  feriousTheme, 
will  want  Nothing  to  be  faid  in  Recommendation  of  the 
enfuing  Tract,  but  only  that  Mr.  Edwards  wrote  it. 

Several  valuable  Pieces  on  this  Subject,  have  lately  been 
publifhed,  upon  the  fame  Side  of  the  Quefiion.  But  he 
had  no  Notice  of  fo  much  as  the  very  firft  of  them,  till 
he  had  wholly  concluded  what  he  had  in  View  :  nor  has  it 
been  thought,  any  Thing  already  printed  mould  fuperfede 
this  Work  of  his  ;  being  defigned  on  a  more  extenfive  Plan  ; 
comprising  a  Variety  of  Arguments,  and  Anfwers  to  many 
Objections,  that  fell  not  in  the  Way  of  the  other  worthy 
Writers  ;  and  the  Whole  done  with  a  Care  of  familiar 
Method  and  Language^  as  well  as  clear  R.eafoning,  in  ge- 

al  accommodated  very  much  to  common  Capacities. 

It  muH:  be  a  feniible  Pleafure  to  every  Friend  of 
Truth,  that  fo  mafterly  a  Hand  undertook  a  Reply  to  Dr. 
Taylor  ;  notwithstanding  the  various  Anfwers  already 
given  him,  both  at  home  and  abroad. — And  lliould  the  faid 
,i>r.  or  any  other  in  his  behalf,  attempt  to  vindicate  his 
Book,  though  our  Author  being  dead,  this  his  Work  will 
have  the  Difadvantage  of  wanting  his  pen  iq  defend  it, 

A  2  ye: 


ii  A  Brief '.Account  of  the  Author, 

5  not  doubted  but  other  diffident  Hands  will  be 
:d  to  eng;  ,  &  ftipport  labouring  Truth. 

As  it  has  been  tb  an        this  Pofthumqus  Book 

Should  go  unatten         .    ch  a  refpe&ful  Memorial  pf  the 

'leader  will  candidly  accept  the 
folic  vlinut  is  Life  and  Character  ;  chiefly' ex- 

ccountS'' given  of  ;hkn  w  thfc  public  Prints, 
j  on.  of  his  Deceafe. 

Mr.  Ebw  a  R  d  s  was  the  only  Son  of  the  late  Rev.  Mr. 
Ti:'  Edwards,   long    a  faithful   Pallor  of    a 

:hin  Winfor,  in  Connecticut  ;  who  (together  with  his 
•ur  Author's  pious  Mother)  was  living,  in  a  very  ad- 
v  :ed  Ape,  till  a-little  before  the  Death  of  this  his  ex- 
c  ent  Son,  who  had  for  many  Years  been  his  Parents 
Joy  and  Grown. 

He  had  his  Education  in  Yale- College. -—At  the 
I  ge  of  about  Eighteen,  commenced  Batchelor  of  Arts, 
Anno  I  720. — Afterwards  refided  atCollege  for  fomeTime, 
purfuing  his  Studies  with  a  laudable  Diligence. — Took 
theDegree  of  Mafter,  at  theufual  Time  :  and  for  awhile 
ferved  the  College  in  che  Station  of  a  Tutor. 

He  foon  entered  into  the  Mini  (fry,  artd  was  fettled  at 
Northampton,  in  MafTachufetts,  as  Colleague  with  his  aged 
Grandfather,  the  Rev.  and  famous  Mr.  Solomon  Stod- 
iDARn  ;  with  whom,  indeed,  as  a  S->n  zvith  the  Father, 
he  ferved  in  the  Gofpel,  till  Death  divided  them, — There 
he  continued  his  Labours  for  many  Years,  in  high  Efleem 
at  home,,  as  well  as  abroad ;  till  uncomfortable  Debates 
arifmg  about  a  Right  to  Sacraments,  and  after  his  beft  At- 
tempts finding  no  rational  Profpecl  of  any  fafe  and  fpeedy 
Iflue  of  them,  he  at  length  amicably  rfefign'd  his  Pailora.1 
Relation,  and  had  an  honourable  Quietus,  Anno  1750. 

Scon  after  this,  there  being  a  Vacancy  in  the  Miflion  at 
S'tockbridge,  by  the  Death  of  the  Rev,  and  learned  Mr. 
J  6  h  n  S  e  r  g  e  a  n  t  ,  theBoard  of  Commillloners  at  Boflon, 
who  acl  under  the  Society  in  London,  for  propagating  the 
Gofpel  among  the  Indians  in  and  about  New-England, 
turned  their  Eyes  to  Mr.  Edward  s,  for  a  Supply  of  that 

'    '  U    Mifliop. 


bis  Life  and  Char  after.  iii 

Million.  And  upon  their  unanimous  Invitation,  in  Con- 
currence with  the  Call  of  the  Church  (confiding  of  Indians 
and  Eriglifh)  at  Stockbridge,  he  removed  thither,  and  was 
regularly  re -inflated  in  the  Paftoral  Office. 

He  continued  his  Miniflry  there,  until  on  Occafion  of 
the  Death  of  his  worthy  Son-in-law,  the  Rev.  and  Learned 
Mr.  Aaron  Burr,  who  had  fucceeded  the  Rev.  and 
Learned  Mr.  Jonathan  Dickinson  (To  memorable 
as  an  Author)  in  the  Station  of  Prefident  of  the  College  of 
New-Je  rse  y,  he  was  by  the  Hon.  and  Rev.  Tr  ust  e  es 
of  that  Society  chofen  to  be  his  Sueceflor.  The  Com- 
mifTioners  at  Bodon  having  received  a  Motion  from  them 
for  his  Tranilation,  did  in  Deference  to  the  Judgment  of 
fo  refpeclable  a  Body,  as.  well  as  from  an  Eftcem  for  Mr. 
Edwards,  and  a  View  to  his  more  extenlive  Ufefulnefs, 
generoufly  confent  to  his  Removal :  and  the  venerable 
Council,  to  whom  he  finally  refer'd  himfelf  for  Advice  on 
this  important  Occafion,  giving  their  unanimous  Opinion 
for  the  Clearnefs  of  his  Call  to  the  Prefident's  Place,  he 
at  Length  (tho  with  much  Reluchncc  and  Self-diffidence) 
relinqiuihed  his  Pafloral  Charge  and  Miniderial  Million  at 
Stockbridge,  and  removed  to  Prince-Town  in  Ncw-Jerfey, 
where  NassauaHall  (lands,  lately  erected. 

But  that  fatal  Biftemper;  the  Small-pox,  which  has  in 
former  Days  been  10  much  the  Scourge  and  Terror  of 
Am  e  r  i  c  a  ,  breaking  out,  in  or  near  the  College,  about  that 
Time,  and  Inoculation  being  favoured  with  great  Succefs, 
Mr.  Edwards,  upon  mature  Thought  and  Confutation, 
judged  it  advisable  to  go  into  thisMethod.  Accordingly  he 
was  inoculated  on  the  23d  of  February  1758.  And  tho 
his  Difeafe  was  comparatively  light,  the  Pock  of  a  miltler 
Sort,  and  few,  yet  f.  amber  happened  to  be  feated 

in  his  Throat  and  Mouth,  as  prevented  his  receiving  the 
necefiary  cooling  and  diluting  Draughts  ;  and  fo,  upon  the 
Turn  of  the  Pock,  a  fecondaryFever  came  on,  which  pre- 
vailed to  the  putting  anEND  (on  March  22ck)iothe  important 
Life  of  this  good  &  greatMan. — As  he  lived  chearfully  re- 
ftgnedin  all-Things  to  the  Will  of  Heaven,  fo  he  died,  or 

rather, 


iv         A  Brief  Account  of  the  Author, 

rather,  as  the  Scripture  emphatically  exprefles  k,  in  relation 
totheSaint  in  Chrid  Jefus,  hejfr//  afleep,  without  the  lead 
Appearance  of  Pain,  &  with  great  Calm  of  Mind.  ]  ndeed, 
when  he  firft  perceived  the  Symptoms  upon  him  to  be 
mortal,  he  is  (aid  to  have  been  a-little  perplexed  for  a 
while,  about  the  Meaning  of  this  myfterious  Conduct  of 
Providence,  in  calling  him  out  from  his  beloved  Privacy, 
to  a  public  Scene  of  Action  and  Influence  ;  and  then  \o 
fuddenly,  jtifr.  upon  his  Entrance  into  it,  rranilating  him 
from  thence,  in  fuqh  a  Way,  by  Mortality  !  However,  he 
quickly  got  believing  and  composing  Views  of  the  Wifdom 
and  Goodnefs  of  God  in  this  furprifing  Event  :  and  rea- 
dily yielded  to  the  fovereign  Difpofal  of  Heaven,  with  the 
moil  placid  Submilfion.  Amidil  the  Joy  of  Faith,  he 
departed  this  World,  to  go  and  fee  Jesus,  whom  his  Soul 
loved  ;  to  be  with  him-,  to  behold  his  Glory,  and  rejoyce 
in  his  Kingdom  above. 

But  he  left  a  bereaved  Family  (his  beloved  and  amiable 
Spoufe,  with  Ten  defirable  Children  *)  and  a  bereaved 
young  Seminary  of  Learning,  to  fit  in  the  Puft,  and  mourn 
the  unfpeakable,  yea,  in  fomc  obvious  Rei peels,  irreparable 
Lofs,  of  a  molt  affectionate,  wile  and  faithful  Head  ! 
And  this,  in  a  Seafon  of  general  Calamity,  and  thrcatning 
Danger  to  Church  and  State.  Oh,  when  a.  holy  God 
rakes  away  flicH  righteousBerfons,  fuch  invaluable  jewels, 
in  repeated  Instances  and  in  cjuick  Succeilion,  from 
our  guilty  Land  and  Nation,  and  that  in  the  Beginning  of 
a  earl:  gathering  Temped,  big  with  the  Fate  of  Nations, 
furely  it  is  an  awful  Omen,  claiming  our  ferious  Attention 
and  Regard. — May  we  not  jiiilly  lament  over  this  excel- 
lent Man,  in  Language  like  that  of  David  over  his  Royal 

.  .    .    :;  ;  "  Oh,   die  Bzauty 

of 


f  One  of  them,  his  pious  and  lovely  Daughter,  Mrs.  Burr, 

foon  followed  him  :  only  leaving   two   agreable  Children  ; 

for  whom  there  can  fcarce  be  a  better  or  greater  sWifh,  than 

that  they  may  live,  and  mine         ie  Image  of  their  excellent 

I  Grand- parents, 


bis  Life  and  Cbarafler.  y 

of  Ifrael  is  flain"  ! — Or,  as  he  mourn' d  over  a  brave  "War- 
riour,  €<  Know  ye  not,  that  a  Great  Man  is  fallen  this 
Day  in  Ifrael  1"  Or,  in  the  penfive  Strains  of  Elidia,  la- 
menting after  Elijah,  that  eminent  Prophet,  and  Head  of 
the  Schools,  as  he  faw  him  afcending  from  Earth  to  Hea- 
ven ;  u  My  Father,  my  Father,  the  Ci-i  ariot  s  of  Ifrael, 
and  the  Horsemen  thereof  I" 

Though,  by  the  preceedingAccount  of  Mr.  Edwards, 
the  Reader  may  form  a  general  Idea  of  his   Character  ; 
yet  doubtlefs  a  more  particularDefcription  will  be  expected. 
In  Perfon,   he  was  tall  of  Stature,   and  of  a  flender 
Make. — There  was  fomething  extreme  delicate  in  his  Con- 
ftitution  ;  which  always  obliged  him  to  the  exafteft  Ob- 
fervation  of  the  Rules  of  Temperance,  and  every  Method 
of  cautious  and  prudent  living.     He  experienced  very  fig- 
nally  the  Benefit  hereof,  as  by  fuch  Means  he  was  helped 
to  go  through  inceflant  Labours,  and  to  bear  up  under 
much  Study,  which,  Solomon  obferves,  is  a  Wearinefs  to 
the  Flelh. — Perhaps,   never  was  a  Man  more  conftantly 
retired  from  the  World  ;  giving  himfelf  to  Reading,  and 
Contemplation.     And  a  Wonder  it  was,  that  his  feeble 
Frame  could  fubfift.  under  fuch  Fatigues,  daily  repeated 
and  fo  long  continued.     Yet  upon  Occafion  of  fome  Re- 
mark upon  it  by  a  Friend,  which  was  only  a  few  Months 
before  his  Death,  he  told  him,  "  He  did  not  find  but  he 
was  then  as  well  able  to  bear  the  clofeft  Study,  as  he  was 
30  Years  before  ;  and  could  go  through  the  Exercifes  of 
the  Pulpit   with  as  little  Wearinefs  or  Difficulty." — In 
his  Youth,  he  appeared  healthy,  and  with  a  good  Degree 
of  Vivacity  ;  but  wa3  never  robnft. — In  middle  Life,  he 
appeared  very  much  emaciated  (I  had  almoft  faid,  mortified) 
by  fevere  Studies,  and  intenfe  Applications  of  Thought. — 
Hence  hisVoice  was  a-little  languid,  and  too  low  for  a  large 
AlTembly  ;  though  much  relieved   and  advantaged  by  a 
proper  Emphafis,  juft  Cadence,  well-placed  Paufes,  and 
great  Diftinclnefs  in  Pronunciation. — He  had  a  piercing 
Eye,  the  trueft  Index  of  the  Mind. — His  AfpecT:  andMein 
had  a  Mixture  of  Severity  and  Pleafancy.     He  had  a  na- 
tural 


vi         A  Brief  Account  of  th'd  Author, 

tural  Turn  for  Gravity  and  Sedatenefs  ;  ever  contem- 
plative ;  and  in  Converfation  ufua'ly  refervcd,  but  always 
obfervant  of  a  genuine  Decorum,  in  his  Deportment  } 
free  from  fullen,  fupcrcilious  and  contemptuous  Airs,  and 
without  any  Appearance  of  Gftentation,  Levity,  or  Va- 
nity.— As  to  Imagination,  he  had  Enough  of  it  for  a 
great  and  good  Man  :  but  the  Gaieties  of  a  luxuriant 
Fancy,  fo  captivating  to  many,  were  what  he  neither 
afFecled  himfelf,  nor  was  much  delighted  with  in  others. — 
He  had  a  natural  Steadinefs  of  Temper,  and  Fortitude 
of  Mind;  which,  being  fanctified  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
was  ever  of  vaft  Advantage  to  him,  to  carry  him 
through  difficult  Services,  and  fnpport  him  under 
trying  A-fHictions,  in  the  Courfe  of  his  Life.-— Perfonal 
Injuries  he  bore  with  a  becoming  Meeknefs  and  Patience, 
and  aDifpofition  to  Forgivenefs. — The  Humility /Modefly, 
and  Serenity  of  his  Behaviour,  much  endeared  him  to  his 
Acquaintance  ;  and  made  him  appear  amiable  in  the  Eyes 
of  fuch  as  had  the  Privilege  of  converfing  with  him. — He 
was  a  true  and  faithful  Friend  ;  and  fhewed  much  of  a 
difinterefled  Benevolence  to  his  Neighbour. — The  feveral 
Relations  fuftained  by  him,  he  adorned  with  an  exemplary 
Conduct  j  and  was  felicitous  to  fill  every  Statjon  with  its 
proper  Duty.  — He  kept  up  an  extenflve  Correfpondcnce, 
with  Minifters  and  others,  in  various  Parts  ;  and  his  Let- 
ters always  contained  fome  fignificant  and  valuable  Com- 
munications.-— In  his  private  Walk,  as  a  Chriltian,  he  ap- 
peared an  Example  of  truly  rational,  confident,  uniform 
Religion  and  Virtue  :  a  filming  Inftance  of  the  Power  and 
Efficacy  of  that  holy  Faith,  which  he  was  fo  firmly  at- 
tached to,  and  fo  firenuous  a  Defender  of.  He  exhibited 
much  of  Spirituality,  and  a  heavenly  Bent  of  Soul.  In 
him  one  faw  the  lovelieftAppearan.ee,— a  rare  Aflemblage 
of  Chrifian  Graces,  united  with  the  richeft  Gifts,and  mu- 
tually fubferving  and  recommending  one  another. 

As  a  Scholar,  his  intellectual  Furnkure  exceeded  what 
is  common,  under  the  Difadvantages  we  labour  of  in  this 
remote  Corner  of  the  World.     He  very  early  difcovered 

a 


his  Life  and  CharaBer.  vii 

a  Genius,  above  the  ordinary  Size  :  which  gradually 
ripened  and  expandcd,by  daily  Exertment  and  Application. 
He  was  remarkable  for  the  Penetration  and  Extent  of 
his  Underdanding.for  his  Powers  of  Criticifm  and  accurate 
Didmcdion,  Quicknefs  of  Thought,  Solidity  of  Judgment, 
and  Force  of  Reafoning  ;  which  made  him  an  acute 
and  ftrong  Difputant.  By  Nature  he  was  formed  for 
a  Logician,  and  a  Metaphyfician  ;  but  by  Speculation, 
Obfervation,  and  Converfe,  greatly  improved.  He  had  a. 
good  Infight  into  the  whole  Circle  of  liberal  Arts  and 
Sciences  :  pofiefTed  a  very  valuable  Stock  of  Claffick 
Learning,  Philofophy,  Mathematicks,  Hidory,  Chrono- 
logy, &c.  Bj  the  Blefling  of  God  on  his  indefatigable 
Studioufnefs,  to  the  lad,  he  was  condantly  treafuri.ng  up 
ufeful  Knowledge,  both  human  and  divine. 

Thus  he  appears  uncommonly  accomplished  for  the  ar- 
duous and  momentous  Province,  to  which  he  was  finally 
called  And  had  Heaven  indulged  us  with  the  Continu- 
ance of  his  precious  Life,  we  have  Reafon  to  think,  he 
would  have  graced  his  new  Station,  and  been  a  fignal  Blef- 
fing  to  the  College,  and  therein  extenfively  ferved  his  Ge- 
neration, according  to  the  Will  of  God. 

After  all,  it  mud  be  owned,  Divinity  was  his  .Favorite- 
Study  ;  and  rhe  Minidry,  his  mod  delightful  Employment. 
Among  the  Luminaries  of  the  Church,  in  thefe  American 
Regions,  he  was  juftly  reputed  a  Star  cf  the  firft  Magni- 
tude. Throughly  verfed  in  all  theBranches  of  Theology, 
didactic,  polemic,  cafuiftic,  experimental,  and  practical 
In  Point  of  divine  Knowledge  and  Skill,  had  few  Equals, 
and  perhaps  no  Superiour,  at  leaft  in  thefe  foreign  Parts. 
On  the  matured  Examination  of  the  different  Schemes  of 
Principlcs,obtamingin  the  World,  &  on  comparing  them  with 
the  f  cred  Scriptures>theOraclesof  God,  &  the  great  Stan- 
dard of  Truth, he  was  aProteftant  &  aCalvinid  injudgment; 
adhering  to  the  main  Articles  of  the  Reformed  Religion 
with  an  unfhaken  Firmnefs,  and  with  a  fervent  Zeal,  but 
tempered  with  Charity  &  Candour,  and  governed  by  Dis- 
cretion.    He  feemed  as  little  as  mod  Men  under  the  Bias 


viii  Ahrjef  Account  of  the  Author, 

of  Education,  or  the  Poflcllion  of  Bigotry. — As  to  practi- 
cal £:  vital  Cljrjlikinity,  no  Man  appeared  to  have  a  better 
Acquaintance  with  itsNature  8z  Importance  ;  or  to  under- 
Hand  true  Religion,  &  feel  it'sPower,  more  than  he  ;  which 
made  him  an  excellently  fn  Guide  to  inquiring  Souls,  and 
qualify'd  him  to  guard  them  againft  all  falfe  Religion.  Hia 
internal  Senfe  of  the  Intercourfe  between  God  and  Souls, 
being  brought  by  him  to  the  fcvere  Ted  of  Reafon  and 
Revelation,  preferved  him,  both  in  Sentiment  &  Conduct, 
from  the  lcatlTinchire  of  Enthufiafm. — The  accomplilh- 
ed  Divine  enters  deep  into  his  Character. 

As  a  Preacher,  he  was  judicious,  foHd,  and  inftrucYive. 
Seldom  was  he  -known  to  bring  Controverfy  into  the  Pul- 
pit ;  or  to  handle  any  Subject:  in  the  nicer  Modes  &  Forms 
cf  fcholailicDifTertation.  .His  Sermons,  in  general,feemed 
exceedingly  to  vary  from  his  controversial  Compositions. 
In  his  Preaching,  ufuaily  all  was  plain,  familiar,  fententi- 
ens,  practical  ;  and  very  difiant  from  any  Affectation  of 
appearing  the  great  Man,  or  displaying  his  extraor- 
dinary Abilities  as  a  Scholar.  But  fiill  he  ever  preferved 
the  Character  of  a  ikilful  and- thorough  Divine.  The 
common  Themes  of  his  Miniftry  were  the  moil  weigh- 
ty and  proftabie  ;  and  in  fpecia],  the  great  Truths 
of  the  Gofpel  of  Chrift,  on  which  he  himielf  lived  by 
Faith.  His  Method  in  preaching  was,  firft  to  apply  to 
the  Underflanding  and  Judgment,  labouring  to  enlighten 
and  convince  them  ;  and  then  to  perfuadc  the  "Will,  engage 
the  Affections,  &  excite  the  active  Powers  of  the  Soul. — 
His  Language  Was  with  Propriety  and  Purity,  but  with  a 
noble  Negligence  ;  nothing  ornamented.  Florid  Diction 
was  not  theBeauty  he  preferred.  HisTalents  were  of  a  fu- 
periour  Kind.  He  regardedThoughts,  rather  thanWords. 
Prccifion  of  Sentiment  and  Clcarnefs  of  Exprcfllcn  are  the 
principalCliaraclerifiicks  of  hisPulpit-Stile.  Neither  quick 
nor  flow  of  Speech,  there  was  a  certain  Pathos  in  his  Ut- 
terance, and  fuch  Skill  of  Addrefs,  as  feldom  failed  to  draw 
Attention,  warm  the  Hearts,and  Simulate  the  Confci- 
:i  of  the  Auditory.  lie  fludied  to  flicw  himfclf  ap- 
proved 


his  Life  and  Char  after.  jx 

proved  unto  God,  a  Workman  that  needed  not  to  be  a- 
Ihamed, rightly  dividing  the  Word  of  Truth. — And  he  was 
one  that  gave  himfelf  to  Prayer,  as  well  as  to  the  Miniilry 
of  the  Word.  Agreabiy  it  pleafedGod  to  put  greatHonour 
upon  him,by  crowning  hisLabours  with  furprifingSuceeffos, 
in  the  Converfion  of  Sinners,  &  the  Edification  oi'  Saints,  to 
the  Advancement  of  the  Kingdom  and  Glory  of  God 
our  Saviour  Jefus  Chrilh 

Mr.  E  o\v  ar  d  s  diftingui filed  himfelf  as  a  Writer,  efpe- 
cially  in  Controverfy,  which  he  was  called  to  on  a  Variety 
of  Occafions.  Here  the  Superiority  of  his  Genius  emi- 
nently appeared.  He  knew  to  arrange  his  Ideas  in  an  exa$: 
Method  :  and  clofe  Application  of  Mind,  with  the  uncom- 
mon Strength  of  his  intellectual  Powers,  enabled  him  in  a 
Manner  to  exhauft  every  Subject  he  took  under  Confide- 
ration.  He  diligently  employed  the  latter  Part  of  his 
Life  in  defending  Chriftianity,  both  in  its  doclrinal  and 
practical  Views,  againfl  the  Errors  of  the  Times.  Befides 
his  excellent  Writings  in  Behalf  of  the  Power  of  Godf- 
nefs,  which  fome  Years  ago  happily  prevailed  in  mary 
Parts  of  the  Britifli  America  ;  he  alio  made  a  noble 
Stand  againfl:  Emhufiafm  &  faife  Religion,  when  it  thi 
ned  to  fbread,  by  his  incomparable  Treatife  upon  re 
ous  AiFecYions.  And  more  lately  in  Opposition  to  Feia- 
gian,  Arminian,  and  other  fa'Pe  Principles,  he  publifhed  a 
very  elaborate  Treatife-  upon  the  Liberty  ci  the  human 
Will.  A  Volume,  that  has  procured  him  the  Eiogy  o^ 
eminent  Divines  abroad.  Several  ProfeiTors  of  Divinity  hi 
the  Dutch  Univerh'ties  very  lately  fent  him  theirTlianks, 
for  the  Aififtance  he  had  given  them  in  their  Inquiry  into 
fome  controverted  Points  ;  having  carried  his  own  further 
than  any  Author  they  had  ever  feen. — And  now  this  Vo- 
lume of  his,  on  the  great  Chriftian  Doctrine  of  Original 
Sin,  is  prefented  to  public  View.  Which,  thj  ftucfioufiy 
adapted  to  lower  Capacities,  yet  carries  in  it  the  evident 
Traces  of  his  great  Genius,  and  feems  with  fuperiour 
Force  of  Argument  to  have  intirely  baffled  the  Oppo- 
nent. 

a  a  2  BcfLics 


x  A  Brief  Account  of  the  Author. 

Befldes  numerous  other  fairManufcripts,he  has  aVolume 
on  the  Nature  of  Virtue  ;  which  he  defigned  mould 
follow  ^the  prefent  one  into  the  public  Light.  It  is  hoped, 
that  we  ill  all  yet  fee  it  ;  and  that  they  who  have  the  Care 
of  his  Papers,  will  confuk  the  common  Benefit,  by  pub- 
lishing more  of  the  valuable  Remains  of  this  great  Man  : 
by  which.he  being  dead>may  Hill  fpeak,  for  the  InftrucYion 
of  Survivors. 

His  Writings  will  perpetuate  his  Memory,  and  make 
his  Name  bloiTom  in  the  DufL  And  the  Blefling  of  Hea- 
ven  attending  the  I'erufal  of  them,  will  make  them  effect- 
ually conducive  to  the  Glory  of  God,  and  the  Good  of 
Souls  ;  which  will  brighten  the  Author's  Crown,  and  add 
to  his  Joy,  in  the  Day  of  future  Retribution. 

In  fine,  the  candid  Reader  will  excufe  the  Imperfecti- 
ons in  this  Sketch  of  a  Character  and  Account  of  the  de- 
ceafed  Man  of  God.  It  is  hoped,  fome  good  Hand  will 
give  us  the  Memoirs  of  his  Life  at  large,  and  l\o  greater 
Julnce  to  his  Merits. 

Some  Lines  in  Verfe,  publifned  on  Occafion  of  his 
Death,  deserve  a  Place  here. 

Great  EDWARDS  dead  !  how  doleful  is  the  Sound  ? 
How  vaft  the  Stroke  !  how  piercing  is  the  Wound  ? 
Heaven  now  impatient  of  our  num'rous  Crimes, 
Scourges  the  bold  Rebellion  of  the  Times  : 
The  fatal   Me(Tenger,    commifTion'd    firfl 
To  bring  the  learn'd  and  pious  Burr  to  Duff, 
Scarce  gave  us  Leave  to  dry  our  weeping  Eyes, 
And  bid  the    Dawn  of  glimm'ring  Hopes   arife, 
When  lo  !  with  dreadful  Aim  and  pointed  Dart, 
The  Arrow  flics,  and  pierces  Edwards'  Heart. 
Oh  painful  Stroke  !  diilrefling  Hand  of  Death  1 
No  vulgar  Mortal  then  refign'd  his  Breath  ; 
Nor  can  the  Mufe  in  deeped  Numbers  tell, 
"   How  Zion  trembled,  when  this  Pillar  fell. 
11   Sure  Nature's  felf,  with  all  her  ample  Store, 
f*  Can  furnifh  fuch  a  Pomp  for  Death  no  more  I 

The 


(     *i 

The  Author's  PREFACE. 

THE  following  Difcourfc  is  intended,  not 
rtieeriy  as  an  Anfwer  to  any  particular  Book 
writrijp  againft  the  Doctrine  of* original  Sin , 
but  as  a  genera!  Defence  of  that  great  important 
Doctrine.  Neverthdefs,  I  have  in  this  Defence 
taken  Notice  of  the  main  Things  faidagainftthis 
Doctrine,by  fuch  of  the  more  noted  Oppofers  of 
it,  as  I  have  had  Opportunity  to  read  ;  particu- 
larly thofe  two  lateWrirers,  Dr.TuRNBULL,and 
Dr.  Taylor  of  Norwich  ;  but  efpecially  the  lat- 
ter, in  what  he  has  publifhedin  thofetwo  Books 
of  his,  the  fir  ft  intitled,  The  Scripture-DoBrine  of 
Original  Sin  propofed  to  free  &  candid  Examination  ; 
The  other,  his  Key  to  the  slpojlolic  Writings ,with 
a  Taraphraje  and  Notes  on  the  Epi/iie  to  the  Ro- 
mans. According  to  my  Obfervation,  no  one 
Book  has  done  io  much  towards  rooting  out  of 
thefe  Weftcrn  Parts  of  New- England,  the  Princi- 
ples and  Scheme  of  Religion  maintain'd  by  our 
pious  and  excellent  Fore-fathers, the  Divines  and 
Christians  who  firft  fettled  thisCountry,  and  alie- 
nating theMinds  of  many  from  what  I  think  are 
evidently  fome  of  the  main  Doctrines  of  the  Gof- 
pel,  as  that  which  Dr.  Taylor  has  publifhed 
againft  the  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin.  This  Book 
has  now  for  many  Years  been  fpread  abroad  in 
the  Land,  without  any  Anjwer^o  it,  as  an  Anti- 
dote ;  and  fo  has  gone  on  to  prevail  with  little 
Controul.     I  have  indeed  heard,  that  an  Anfwer 

to 


xii     The  Authors  PREFACE. 

to  it  has  been  publiftYd  by  Dr.  Jennings  of 
London  :  but  never  faw  it,  nor  beard  of  its  being 
in  thefe  American  Parts  :  So  that,  however  fufli- 
cient  it  may  be,  it  has  been  of  no  Service  to  that 
Purpofe  here.  And  in  as  much  as  about  -fifteen 
Years  (if  I  miftake  not)  have  elapfed,  fince  Dr. 
Taylor's  Piece  has  been  in  the  Hands  of  fome, 
there  is  manifeft  Need  of  fome  other  Antidote, 
for  the  fake  of  fuch  as  dwell  in  this  Part  of  the 
World.  The  providing  one  is  what  I  have  at- 
tempted in  the  following  Work;  wherein  I  have 
clofely  attended  to  that  ¥iecv9ih  ail  it's  Parts,  and 
have  endeavoured  that  no  one  Thing  there  (aid, 
of  any  Confequence  in  this  Controverfy,  fhould 
pafs  unnoticed,or  that  any  Thing  which  has  the 
Appearance  of  an  Argument, in  Opposition  to  this 
Doftrine,  fhould  be  left  unanfwered.  .  I  look  on 
the  Doclrine  as  of 'great  Import  a  nee  ;  which  every 
Body  will  doubtlefs  own  it  is,  if  it  be  true.  For, 
if  the  Cafe  be  fuch  indeed,  that  all  Mankind  are 
by  Nature  in  a  State  of  total  Ruin,  both  with  ref- 
pecl  to  the  moral  Evil  they  are  the  Subjecls  of, 
and  the  affliflive  Evil  they  are  expofed  to,theone 
as  the  Confequence  and  Punifhnientof  the  other, 
then  doubtlefs  the  great  Salvation  by  Christ 
Hands  in  direclRelation  to  this/JH/V/.as  theRemedy 
to  the  Difeafe  ;  and  the  whole  Go/pel,  or  Doctrine 
of  Salvation,  muft  fupfofe  it  ;  and  all  real  Belief, 
or  true  Notion  of  that  Gofpcl,  muft  be  built  upon 
it.  Therefore,as  I  think  the  Doctrine  is  mod  cer- 
tainly both  true  and  important,  I  hope,  my  at- 
tempting a  Vindication  of  it,  will  be  candidly  inter- 
preted ;  and  that  what  I  have  done  towards  it's 

Defence 


The  Authors  PREFACE.       xiii 

Defence,  will  be  impartially  con{idcred9by  all  that 
will  give  themfelves  the  Trouble  to  read  the  en- 
fuin?  Difcourfe. 

N.  B.  I  had  finifhed  my  Defence  of  the  Do6t- 
rine  of  Original  Sin,  and  prepared  the  Copy  (as 
here  you  have  it)  for  the  Prefs,and  had  wrote  the 
♦proceeding  Part  of  this  Trcfaee,  before  I  had  re- 
ceived the  leaft  Intimation  of  any  Thing  .written 
or  intended  to  be  written  by  theRev.Mr.NiLEs, 
in  Aniwer  to  Dr.  Taylor. — But  having  heard, 
that  his  Anfvver  is  chiefly  confined  to  two  Parts 
of  Dr.  Taylor's  Scripture-DoBrine,  • — •  without 
fo  particularly  replying  to  the  third  Part  of  that 
Book,  or  the  large  Supplement  ;  and  it  being  the 
Defign  of  the  following  Difcourfe  to  examine 
every  Thing  material  throughout  the  whole  Book, 
and  many  Things  in  thatotherBook  of  Dr.  T — r's, 
containing  his  Key  and  Expofition  on  Romans  ; 
as  alfo  many  Things  written  in  Oppofition  to 
this  Doctrine  by  fomc  other  modern  Authors-  and 
moreover,  my  Difcourfe  being  not  only  intended 
for  an  Anfwer  to  Dr.  Taylor,  and  other  Oppo- 
fers  of  the  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin,  but  (as  was 
obferved  above)  for  a  general  Defence  of  that  Docl- 
rine ;  producing  the  Evidence  of  the  Truth  of  the 
Doctrine,  as  well  as  anfwering  Objections  made 
againlt  it  : — confidering  thefe  Things,  I  fay,  I 
hope  this  Attempt  of  mine  will  not  be  thought: 
needlefs,  nor  be  altogether  ufelefs.  And  poffibly, 
even  in  thofe  Parts,  where  the  fame  Subjects  and 
Arguments  are  handled  by  us  both,thetwoBooks 
may  receive  Light  from  each  other,and  may  con- 
firm one  another;  and  fo  the  common  Defign be 
the  better  fubferved.  I 


ziv      The  Authors  PREFACE. 

I  would  alfo  hope,  that  the  Extenfivenefs  of  the 
Plan  of  the  following  Treatife  will  excufe  the 
Length  of  it.  And  that  when  tt  is  considered,  how 
much  was  absolutely  requifiteto  the  full  executing 
of  a  Defign  formed  on  filch  a  Plan  ;  how  much 
has  been  written  again  ft  the  Doctrine  of  Original 
Sin,  and  with  what  Plaufibility  ;  and  how  firong 
the  'Prejudices  of  many  are  in  Favour  of  what  is 
faid  in  Uppofition  to  this  Doclrine  ;  and  that  it  ain't 
be  expected,  any  Tiling  fhort  of  a /^//Confedera- 
tion of  atmbft  every  Argument  advance  by  the 
main  Oppoiers,  especially  by  this  late  &  ccious 
Writer,  Dr.  Taylor,  will  iatisfv  many  Readers; 
and  alfo,  how  much  mull  una  void  y  belaid  in 
Order  to  a  full  handling  of  the  .  gumenfs  hi 
Defence  of  the  Doclrine  ;  and  how  --■■  \  tfint  the 
Doclrine  mull  be,  if  true  ;  I  fay,  when  fuch  Cir- 
cumftances  as  thefe  are  confidered,  I  trufr,  the 
Length  of  the  following  Difcoprfe  will  not  be 
thought  to  exceed  what  die  Cafe  really  required. 
However,  this  muft  be  left  to  the  Judgment  of 
the  intelligent-  and  candid  Reader. 
Stockbridgei  May  26.   1757. 

ADVERTISE  M  E  N  T 
'VKT'Hcn  the  Page  is  refer'd  to  in  this  Manner  [P.  40.  P.  50  ] 
*  ^  without  mentioning  the  2foa£9th.ercby  is  to  he  understood 
fueh  a  Page  in  Di.Tavlcr's  Scripture- Dofirine  of  Original  Shi. 
When  the  Word,  A>,  is  ufed  to  fignify  the  Book  refer'd  to, 
thereby  is  to  be  understood  Dr.  Taylor  s  Key  to  the  ApofalU 
Writings  ThisMark  [§]  with  Figures  or  a  Number  annexed, 
fignrfies  fuch  a  Section  or  Paragraph  in  his  Key — The  Letter 
T.  alone,is  ufed  to  fignify  Dr. Taylor's  Name, and  no  other.-- 
The  Edition  of  Dr.  T-rs  Scripture- Doflrine  &c.  which  I  pofTefs 
and  have  made  Ufe  of,is  the  Third  Edition^rinted  at  Belfaft  \ 
containing  452  Pages.  The  imprelTion  of  the  other Book,namc- 
ly  the  A>/and  Expofition  on  Remans,  which  I  have  ufed,  is  that 
of  Dublin  j   containing  460  Pages.  1  ^e 


(       *Y       ) 

The    Contents. 
part    I. 

W  Herein  are  considered  fome  Evidences  of  original 
Sin  from  i^^f  and  Events,  as  found  by  Obfer- 

vation  and  Experience  :   together  with  Reprefentations  and 

Teftimonies  of  holy  Scripture,  and  the  Confeflion  and 

AiTertions  of  Oppofers. 

CHAP.     I. 
The  Evidence  of  Original  Sin  from  what  appears  i» 

Fact,  of  the  Sinfulnefs  of  Mankind. 

Sect.  I.  All  Mankind  do  eonftantly,  in  all  Ages,  without Tail 
in  any  one  Inftance,  run  into  that  moral  Evil,  which  is  in 
Effect  their  own  utter  and  eternal  Perdition,  in  a  total  Pri- 
vation of  God's  Favour,  and  fufrering  of  his  Vengeance  and 
Wrath.  Pag.   1,-17. 

Sect.  N.  It  follows  from  the  Proportion  proved  in  the  fore- 
going; Section,  that  all  Mankind  are  under  the  Influence  of 
a  prevailing  effectual  Tendency  in  their  Nature,  to  that  Sin  and 
Wickednefs,   which  implies  their  utter  and  eternal   Ruin. 

Pag.   17,-26. 

Sect.  III.  That  Propenjity,  which  has  been  proved  to  be  in 
the  Nature  of  all  Mankind,  muft  be  a  very  evil,  depraved, 
and  pernicious  Propenfity  ;  making  it  manifetl,  that  the  Soul 
of  Man,  as  it  is  by  Nature,  is  in  a  corrupt^fafkn  &  ruin'd  State  : 
Which  is  the  other  Part  of  the  Confequci.ee,  drawn  from 
the  Propofition  laid  down  in  the  firft  Section.     Fag.  27,-33. 

Sect.  IV.  The  Depravity  of  Nature  appears  by  a  Propenfity 
in  all,  to  fin  immediately, as  foon  as  they  are  capable  of  it,  and 
to  fin  continually  and  progrejjiucly  ;  and  alfo  by  the  Remains  of 
Sin  in  the  left  of  Men.  Pag.  33,-30, 

Sect.  V.  The  Depravity  of  Nature  appears,  in  that  the  ge- 
neral Co?ifequence  of  the  State  and  Tendency  of  Man's  Nature 
is  a  much  greater  Degree  of  Sin,  than  Righteoufnifs  j  not  only 
with  Refpeet  to  Value  and  Demerit,  but  likewife  Matter 
and  Quantity.  Pag.   39,-— 49* 

Sect.  VI.  The  Corruption  of  Man's  Nature  appears  by  it's 
Tendency,  in  it's  prefent  State,  to  an  extreme  Degree  of 
Folly  and  Stupidity  in  Matters  of  Religion.        Pag.  49,-62. 

Sect.  VII.   That  Man's  Nature  is  corrupt,   appears,  in  that 

vaftly  ths  greater  Part  of.  Mankind,  in  all  Ages,  have  been 

wicked  Men,  Pag.  62,-—  76. 

S  f  2  Sect.  VIII. 


M  The    Content  $. 

Sect.  Vfll.  The  native  ©epravity  or'  Mankind  appears,  in 
that  there  has  been  fo  little  good  Effeft  of  fo  manifold  &  great 
Means  ufed  to  promote  Virtue  in  the  World.     Pag.  76,--  ioc. 

Sect.  IX.  Several  Evafiom  of  the  Arguments  for  Depravity  of 
Nature,  from  Trial  and  Events,  confidered. 

Eva/ion  I.  Adam's  Nature,  and  the  Nature  of  the  Angeh  that 
ftll,  was  not  firiful,  yet  they  ^hw«/  :  and  all  Mankind  may, 
without  a  fmful  Nature,  fin  as  well  as  they.     Pag.  1 00,-  —  1 06. 

Evafion  II.  Man's  own  Free-will  is  a  Caufe  fujficient  to  account 
for  the  general  Wjckcdncfs  of  the  World.     Pag.  106,— 108. 

Eva/ion  III.  The  Corruption  of  the  World,  may  be  owing,not 
to  a  depraved  Nature,  but  to  bad  Example.     Pag.  ic8,--ii5. 

Evafion  IV '.  The  general  Prevalence  of  Wickednefs  may  with- 
out fuppofinu;  a  corrupt  Nature,  be  accounted  for  by  our 
Senjes  btmgfirjl  in  Exercife,  and  our  animal  Pafjions  getting 
the  Start  of  F.tafon.  Pag.  j  15,--  -1 18. 

Evafion  V.  Men  in  this  World  are  in  a  State  of  Trial  -,  it  is 
therefore  fit,  that  their  Virtue  fhould  be  tried  by  Oppofition, 
both  from  without  and  from  within.  Pag,  118,— -121. 

CHAR     II. 

Univerfal  Mortality  proves  original  Sin  ;  particularly  the  Death 
of  Infants ,  with  its  various  Circumftances.     Pag.  1 2  r ,-- 1  -8. 

PART     II. 

Containing  Obfervations  on  particular  Parts  of  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures, which  prove  the  Doctrine  of  original  Sin.        Pag.  139. 

C  H  A  P.     L 

Obfervations  '  ;ating  to  Things  contained  in  the  three  fir/1 
Chapters  t  ^ENESIS,  with  Reference  to  the  Doclrine  of 
Origin...  oin. 

Sect.  I.  Concerning"  original  Right eonfnefs  ;  and  whether  our 
nrftParents  were  created  with  Righteoufnefs  or  moral  Recti- 
tude of  Heart  ?  Pag.   139,—  155. 

Sect.  Ii.  Concerning  the  Kind  of  Death,  threatned  to  our  ririt 
Parents,  in  Cafe   they  fhould  eat  of  the  forbidden  Fruit. 

Pag.  1 55. ---164. 

Sect.  III.  Wherein  it  is  enquired,  whether  there  b.-  any  thing 
in  the  Hiftory  in  the  three  firft  Chapters  of  Genefis,  which 
fhould  lead  us  to  fuppofe,  that  God>  in  his  Conftitution  with 
ADAM,  dealt  with  Mankind  in  general,  as  included  in  their 
firft  Father  ;  and  that  the  Threaining  of  Death,  in  Cafe  he 
fhould  eat  the  forbidden  Fruit,  had  Refpecl,  not  only  to  him, 
but  to  his  Pojhrity  ?  Pag-  164,-184. 

C  H  A  P.     II. 

Obfervations  on  other  Parts  of  the  holy  Scripiures,  chiefly  in 
the  Old  Tejlameni ,that  prove  original  Sin.      Pag.  185,--- 199. 

CriAi  , 


The    Contents.  xvii 

CHAP.    III. 

Obfervatlons  on  various  other  Places  of  Scripture,  principally 
in  the  New-Eejiament,  proving  the  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin. 

Sect.  I.  Obfervations  on  Job.  iii.  6.  in  Connection  with 
fome  other  Paffages  in  the  New-Teftament  ;  (hewing  all 
to  be  FIeJh9  by  natural  Birth.  Pag.  199,— -209. 

Sect.  II.  Obfervations  on  Rom.  iii.  9, ---24..  (hewing,  that  All 
in  thcfr  firfi  State  are  Wicked.  Pag.  209,— -220. 

Sect.  HI.  Obfervations  on  Rom.  v.  6,— 10.  Eph.  ii.  3.  with 
the  Context  ;  and  Rem,  vii.  confirming  it,  that  All  in  their 
firft  State  are  Wicked.  Pag.  22c,-— 237. 

CHAP.    IV. 

Containing  Obfervations  on  Rom.  v.   12,  to  the  End. 

Sect.  I.  Remarks  on  Dr.  T~-r'$  Way  of  explaining  this 
Paragraph.  Pag.  238,-- -271; 

Sect.  II.  Obfervations,  (hewing  the  true  Connexion,  Scope  and 
Senfe  of  this  remarkable  Paragraoh  ;'  with  fome  Reflexions 
on  the  Evidence,  which  we  here  have,  of  the  Doctrine  of 
original  Sin.  f*  ;.  271,-289. 

PART     ?TI. 

Obferving  the  Evidence  given  us,  relative  SESsaT^etrine  of 

Original  Sin,  in  what  the    Script.    ~s  horning  the 

Redemption  by  Christ.  Pag,  2 09. 

CHAP.     I. 

The  Evidence  of  Original  Sin  from  the  Nature  pf  Redemption, 
in  the  Procurement  of  it  :  which  is  fuperfhlfcd  by  Dr.  5T—  r's 
Scheme.  Eag.  289,-290. 

CHAP.     II. 

The  Evidence  of  the  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin  from  what  the 
Scripture  teaches  concerning  the  Application  of  Redemption. 

Pag.  298,— 311. 

PART     IV. 

Containing  Anfwers  to  OBJECTIONS.         P,-g.  311. 

CHAP.     I. 

Concerning  that  Objection,  That  to  fuppofe  Men  to  be  born 
in  Sin,  without  their  Choice,  or  any  previous  Act  of  their 
own,  is  to  fuppofe  what  is  inconfiftent  -with  the  N:  SJI\T. 

And  Reflections    (hewing  the  Inconfjhnce  of  Dr.  /--A  Ar- 
guings  from  this  Topic.  Eag.  311,--; 

C  H  A  P.     II. 

Concerning  that  Objection  agairift  the  Doctrine  of  rlat*v 
-  ruption,That  to  fuppofe,  Men  receive  their  firfi:  Exiilci: 
Sin,  is  to  make  Kim  who  is  the  Author  cf  their  Bting,  alfo 
the  Author  of  their  Depravity.  Pag,  31 6,-- -326. 

CI:' 


xviii  The   Contents. 

C  II  A  P.     III. 

That  great  Objection  againft  the  Imputation  of  Adam's  Sin  t© 
his  PofUrity  confidered,  That  Juch  Imputation  is  unjufr  and  un- 
reafonable,  in  as  much  as  Adam  and  his  Pofterity  are  net  One 
and  the  fame.  With  a  brief  Reflection  fubjoined,  on  what 
fbme  have  fuppofed,  of  God's  imputing  the  Guilt  of  Adam\ 
Sin  to  his  Pofterity,  but  in  an  infinitely  lefs  Degree,  than  to 
Adam  himfelf.  Post*  326-- -?<;<:. 

c  H  A  p.    IV. 

Wherein  feveral  other  Objections  are  confidered.  —  Viz. 

That  at  the  Reparation  of  the  World  after  the  FJood,God  pro- 
nounced equivalent,  or  greater  Blcffmgs  on  Noah  and  his 
Sons,  than  he  did  on  Adam  at  his  Creation.     Z3^- 356,- -359. 

That  the  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin  difparages  the  divine  Good- 
nefs  in  giving  us  our  Being,  and  leaves  us  no  Rcafon  to  thank 
God  for  it,  as  a  Gift  of  his  Beneficence.      ^'<§r-359>-— 363. 

That  at  the  Day  of  Judgment ^  the  Judge  will  deal  with  every 
Man  fingly  ahdfeparattly,  rendring  to  every  Man  recording  !@ 
his  own  Works,  and  his  improvement  of  perfonal  Talents. 

m  paS-  363v--365- 

That  the  Word,  Impute,  is  never  ufed  in  Scn^ture,  but  with 
RefpeCV'7'7'1*-^  own  peffmal  Acts.  Pag.  365,-367. 

That//////  Children  are  pre  poled  as  Patterns  of  Humility, Meeknefs, 
and  Innocence.  P°g-  368. 

That  the  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin  pours  Contempt  upon  the  hu- 
man Nature.  Pag.  369. 

That  it  tends  to  beget  in  us  an  ///  Opinion  of  our  Fellow-Crea- 
tures, and  to  promote  Ill-will  and  mutual  Hatred.   P^.369. 

That  it  hinders  our  Comfort,   and  promotes  Gloominefs  of  Mind. 

Pag.  370, 

That  it  tends  to  encourage  Men  in  Sin,  and  leads  to  all  Manner 
of  Iniquity.  P.   371. 

That  if  this  Doctrine  be  true,  it  mud  be  unlawful  to  beget  Chil- 
dren. Pag.  371,372. 

That  it's  ftrange,  this  Doctrine  fnould  be  no  oftner,  and  not 
more  plainly,  fpoken  of  in  Scripture;  it  being,  if  true,  a  very 
important  Doctrine.  Pag.  373,374. 

That  Chrijl  fays  not  one  Word  of  this  Doctrine  throughout  the 

K  four  Gofpels.  Pag.  374,-382. 

The   CONCLUSION. 

Containing  feme  brief  Obfervations  on  certain  artful  Methods, 
ufed  by  Writers  who  are  Adverfaries  of  this  Doctrine,  in 
order  to  prejudice  their  Readers  againft  it.  Pag.  382,^. 

?  $&  c^2d  c££>  <£&  £%}  &&  cSfe  &<h  rS&  ^&  &<h  &&  =Sfe  &&  £&  f£8?  <®&  0k  i 


The 


The  great  Chriftian  Dodtrine  of 

ORIGINAL    SIJV 

defended. 

PART     I. 

Wherein  are  confidered  fome  Evidences  of 
Original  Sin  from  FaSls  and  Events,  as 
found  by  Obfervation  and  Experience, 
together  with  Reprefentations  and  Tefti- 
monies  of  holy  Scripture,  and  the  Con- 
feffion  and  Affertions  of  Oppofers. 

CHAP.    T. 

The.  Evidence  of 'Original  Sin  from  what  appears  in 
Fact  of  the  Sinfulnefs  of  Mankind. 

Sect.    I. 

Ail  Mankind  do  conftantiy  in  all  sfges,  without  Fail 
in  any  one  Infance,  run  into  that  rnoralEvil, which 
is  in  Effect  their  own  utter  and  eternal  ^Perdition, 
in  a  total  Trivation  of  GOD's  Favour  :and fufjer- 
inS  °flJiS  Vengeance  and  Wrath. 

#11111111 Y  Original  Sin,  as  the  Phrafe  has  been  mod: 
fH§^@q§3  commonly  u fed  by  Divines,  is  meant  the 
®^$B^|J  innate  Jinful  "Depravity  of  the  Heart. 
$$&$$  But  yet  when  the  'Doctrine  of  original  Sin 
©®$$®@  is  fpoken  of,  it  is  vulgarly  underffood  in 
that  Latitude,  as  to  include  not  only  the 
'Depravity  of  Nature,  but   the  Imputation  of  Adams 

B  ficft 


4  Of  Virtue  sfuppofed  Prevalence.  Fart  L 

Jirft  Sin  ;  or  in  other  Words,  the  Liablenefs  or  Expofed- 
nefs  of  •/Afaw's-'Pofterity,  in  the  divine  Judgment,  to  par- 
take of  the  Puniihrnent  of  that  Sin.  So  far  as  I  know, 
moft  of  thofe  who  have  held  one  of  thefe,  have  maintain'd 
the  other  ;  and  moil  of  thofe  who  have  oppo^d  one,  have 
oppofed  the  other  :  both  are  oppofed  by  the  Author 
chiefly  attended  to  in  the  following  Difcourfe,in  his  Book 
againft  original  Sin  :  And  it  may  perhaps  appear  in  our 
future  Confideration  of  the  Subject,  that  they  are  clofely 
connected,  and  that  the  Arguments  which  prove  the  one 
eftablifh  the  other,  and  that  there  are  no  more  Difficulties 
attending  the  allowing  of  one  than  the  other. 

I  fhall  in  the  firft  Place  confider  this  Doctrine  more 
efpecially  with  regard  to  the  Corruption  of  Nature  :  and 
as  we  treat  of  this,  the  other  will  naturally  come  into  Con- 
fideration, in  the  Profecution  of  the  Difcourfe,  as  con* 
netted  with  it. 

As  all  moral  Qualities,  all  Principles  either  of  Virtue 
or  Vice  lie  in  the  Difpofition  of  the  Heart,  I  fliaU  confi- 
der whether  we  have  any  Evidence,  that  the  Heart  of 
Man  is  naturally  of  a  corrupt  and  evil  Difpofition.  This' 
is  flrenuoufly  denied  by  many  late  Writers,  who  are  Ene- 
rgies to  the  Doctrine  of  original  Sin  ;  and  particularly  by 
Dr.  'Taylor. 

The  Way  we  come  by  the  Idea  of  any  fuch  Thing  as 
Difpofition  or  Tendency,is  by  obferving  what  is  conftanr 
or  general  in  Event  ;  efpecially  under  a  great  Variety  of 
Circumdances  ;  and  above  all,  when  the  Effect  or  Event 
continues  the  fame  thro'  great  and  various  Oppofition, 
much  and  manifold  Force  and  Means  ufed  to  the  contrary 
nvt  prevailing  to  hinder  the  Effect. —  I  don't  know  that 
fuch  a  Prevalence  of  Effects  is  denied  to  be  an  Evidence 
of  prevailing  Tendency  in  Caufes  and  Agents  ;  or  that 
it  is  exprefly  denied  by  the  Oppofers  of  the  Doctrine  of 
original  Sin,  that  if,  in  the  Courfe  of  Events,  it  univer- 
fally  or  generally  proves  that  Mankind  are  actually  cor- 
rupt, this  would  be  an  Evidence  of  a  prior  corrupt  Pro- 
fleniity  in  the  World  of  Mankind  \  whatever  may  be  faid; 


s^cT'H  Of  Virtue  sfuppofed  Prevalence.  3 

by  fome,  which,  if  taken  with  it's  plain  Confequences, 
may  feem  to  imply  a  Denial  of  this  ;  which  may  be  con- 
sidered afterwards. — But  by  many  the  Fac"t  is  denied  : 
That  is,  it  is  denied,  that  Corruption  and  moral  Evil  is 
commonly  prevalent  in  the  World.  On  the  contrary,  it 
is  infilled  on,  that  Good  preponderates,and  thatVirtue  has 
the  Afcendant. 

To  this  Purpofe  Dr.  Turnbull  fays,  f  c<  With  regard 
"  to  the  Prevalence  of  Vice  in  the  World,  Men  are  apt  to 
"  let  their  Imagination  run  out  upon  all  the  Robberies, 
44  Pyracies,  Murders,  Perjuries,  Frauds,  Ma{Iacres,AfIaffi- 
"  nations  they  have  either  heard  of,  or  read  in  Hiftory  ; 
44  thence  concluding  all  Mankind  to  be  very  Wicked. 
44  As  if  a  Court  of  Jufiice  were  a  proper  Place  to  make 
4t  an  Eflimate  of  the  Morals  of  Mankind,  or  an  Hofpital 
"  of  the  Healthfulnefs  of  a  Climate.  But  ought  they 
"  not  to  confider,that  the  Number  of  honed  Citizens  and 
"  Farmers  far  furpafTes  that  of  all  Sorts  of  Criminals  in 
"  any  State,  and  that  the  innocent  and  kind  A&ions  of 
"  even  Criminals  themfelves  furpafs  theirCrimes  in  Num- 
44  bers ;  that  it  is  the  Rarity  of  Crimes,  in  Comparifon  of 
44  innocent  or  good  Actions,  which  engages  our  ttention 
g\  to  them,  and  makes  them  to  be  recorded  in  Hiftory, 
"  while  honed,  generous  domedic Actions  are  overlooked, 
"  only  becaufe  they  are  fo  common  ?  As  one  great  Dan- 
u  ger,  or  one  Month's  Sicknefs  ihall  become  a  frequently 
44  repeated  Story  during  a  longLife  of  Health  &  Safety. — 
4t  Let  not  the  Vices  of  Mankind  be  multiplied  or  magni* 
44  fied.  Let  us  make  a  fair  Eflimate  of  human  Life,and 
*'  fet  over  againft  the  mocking,  the  aftonifliing  Indan- 
*'  ces  of  Barbarity  and  Wickednefs  that  have  been  perpe- 
41  trated  in  any  Age,  not  only  the  exceeding  generous  and 
"  brave  Actions  with  which  Hiftory  mines,  but  the  pre- 
"  vailing  Innocency,  Good-Nature,  Indudry,  Felicity 
"  and  Chearfulnefs  of  the  greater  Part  of  Mankind  at  all 
4<  Times  ;  and  we  ihall  not  find  Reafon  to  cry  out,  as 
B  2  u  Obieftors 


t  Moral  PbiL  P,  289,  390, 


4  Of  Grace  inter pofmg.         fart  L 

H  Objectors  againft:  Providence  do  on  this  Occafion,  thac 
*f  all  Men  are  vaftly  corrupt,  and  that  there  is  hardly  any 

*  fuch  Thing  as  Virtue  in  the  World.  Upon  a  fairCom- 
**  putation,the  Fact-  does  indeed  come  out,  that  very  great 
*c  Villanies  have  been  very  tincpmrtien-  in  all  Ages,    and 

*  look'd  upon  as  monftrous  ;  fo  general- is  trie  Senfe  and 

*  Efteem  of  Virtue." — It  feems  to  be  with  a  like  View- 
that  Dr.  T*.  fays,  "  We  muft  not  take  the  Meafure  of 
41  our  Health  and  Enjoyments  from  a  Lazar-Houfe,  nor 
*'  of  our  Underftanding  from  Bedlam,  nor  of  our  Morals 
"  from  a   Goal,  (£353*)    , 

With  refpect  to  the  Propriety  and  Pertinence  of  fuch  a- 
Reprefontation  of  Things,  and  its  Force  as  to  the  Confe- 
rence deiigned,  I  hope  we  ihall  be  better,  able  to  judge/ 
and  in  fome  Meafure  to  determine  whether  the  natural- 
DifpouYion  of  the  Hearts  of  Mankind  be  corrupt  or  not,- 
when  the  Things  which  follow  have  been  confidered. 

But  for  the  greater  Clearnefs,  it  may  be  proper  here  to* 
premife  one  Confederation,  that  is  of  great  Importance  in* 
this  Controverfy,  and  is  very  much  overlooks  by  the 
Oppofers  of  the  Doctrine  of  original  Sin  in  their  difputing 
againft  it  ;  which  is  this — 

That  is  to  be  look'd  upon  as  the  true  Tendency  of 
the  natural  or  innate  Difpofition  of  Man's  Heart/,  which 
appears  to  be  it's  Tendency  when  we  confider  Things- 
as  they  are  in  themfe'lves,  or  in  their  own  Nature,  without 
the  Interpofition  of  divine  Grace.  Thus,  that  State  of 
Man's  Nature,  that  Difpofition  of  the  Mind, is  to  be  look'd 
upon  as  evil  and  pernicious,  which,  as  it  is  in  it  felf,tends 
to  extremely  pernicious  Confequences,  and  would  certainly 
end  therein,  were  it  not  that  the  free  Mercy  and  Kindnefs 
of  God  interpofes  to  prevent  thatlffue.  It  would  be  very 
ftrange.if  any  fhould'?-rgue  that-  there  is  no  evil  Tendency 
in  the  Cafe,  becaufe  the  meer  Favour  and  Compalhon  of 
the  mod  High  may  fl.ep  in  and  oppofe  the  Tendency,  and 
prevent  the  fad  Eri  eel:  tended,  to.  Particularly,  if  there  be* 
any  Thing  in  the  Nature  of  Man,  whereby  he  has  an  uni- 
vsrfal,  unfailing  Tendency  to  that  moral  Evil,  which  ac- 
cording 


-Chap.  i.~>  qj?  Grace  inter pofing.  * 

cording  to  the  real  Nature  and  true  Demerit  of  Thlnc?s,as 
they  are  in  themfelves,  implies  his  utter  Ruin,  That  muft 
"be  look'd  upon  as  an  evil  Tendency  or  Propehfity  ;  how- 
ever divine  Grace  may  interpofe,  to  fave  him  from  defer- 
red Ruin,  and  to  over-rule  Things  to  an  Blue  contrary  to 
that  which  they  tend  to  of  themfelves.  Grace  is  a  fove- 
reign  Thing,  exe'rcifed  according  to  the  good  Pleafure  of 
God,  bringing  Good  out  of  Evil ;  The  Effect,  of  it  be- 
longs not  to  the  Nature  of  Things  themfelves,  that  other- 
wife  have  an  ill  Tendency,  any  more  than  the  Remedy 
"belongs  to  the  Difeafe  ;  but  is  fomefhing altogether  .inde- 
pendent on  it,  introduced  to  oppo'fethe  naturalTendency, 
£nd  reverfe 'the  Gourfe  of  Things.  But  the  Event  that 
Things  tend  to,  according  to  their  own  Demerit,  and  ac- 
cording to  divine  Juftice,  That  is  the  Event  which  they 
tend  to  in  their  own  Nature;  as  Dr.  T* — r's  own  Words 
fully  imply  (Pref.  to  Par.  on  Rom.  p.  187.)  "  God  a- 
<l  lone  (fays  he)  can  declare  whether  he  will  pardon  or 
(i  punifh.theUngodlinefs&  Unrighteoufnefs  of  Mankind, 
"  which  is  in  1T:S  OWN  NATURE  punifhable.  " 
Nothing  is  more  precriely  according  to  the  Truth  of 
Things,  than  divinejuftice :  It  weighs  Things  in  an  even 
Balance  ;  it  views  and  eflimates  Things  no  otherwife  than 
they  are  truly  in- their  own  Nature.  Therefore  undoubt- 
edly that  which  implies  a  Tendency  to  Ruin  according  to 
the  Eflimate  of  divine  Ju(llcey  does  indeed  imply  fuch  a 
Tendency  ink's  oven  jSaiure. 

And  then  it  mud:  be remember'd,  that  it  is  a  moral  *De-> 
pravity  we  are  fpeaking  of;  and  therefore  when  we  arc 
confidering  whether  fuch  Depravity  don't  appear  by  a 
Tendency  to  a  bad  Effect  or  Blue,  'tis  a  moral  Tendency 
to  fuch  an  Blue,  that  is  what  is  to  be  taken  into  the  Ac- 
count. A  moral  Tendency  or  Influence  is  by  'Defert* 
Then  may  it  be  faid,  Man's  Nature  or  State  is  attend- 
ed with  a  pernicious  or  deitructive  Tendency,  in  a  moral 
Senfe,  when  it  tends  to  that  which  deferves  Mifery  and 
Deftruclion.  And  therefore  it  equally  lhews  the  moral 
©eprayity  of  the  Nature  of  Mankind  in  their  prefenc 

B  3  grate, 


6  Grace  no  Argument         Part  I. 

o 

State,  whether  that  Nature  be  univerfally  attended  with 
an  effectual  Tendency  to  deflruclive  Vengeance  actually 
executed,or  to  their  deferving  Mifery  &  Ruin,or  theirywj? 
Expofednefs  to  Deftruclion,  however  that  fatal  Confe- 
rence may  be  prevented  by  Grace,  or  whatever  the  actual 
Event  be. 

One  Thing  more  is  to  be  obferved  here,  viz.  That  the 
Topic  mainly  infilled  on  by  the  Oppofersof  theDoclrine 
©f  Original  Sin,  is  the  Juflice  of  God  ;  both  in  their  Ob- 
jections againft  the  Imputation  of  Adam's  Sin,  and  alfo 
againft  it's  being  fo  order'd  that  Men  fhould  come  into  the 
World  with  a  corrupt  and  ruin  d  Nature,  without  having 
merited  the  Difpleafure  of  their  Creator  by  any  perfonal 
Fault.  But  the  latter  is  not  repugnant  to  God's  Juflice, 
if  Men  can  be,  and  actually  are,  born  into  theWorld  with 
a  Tendency  to  Sin,  and  to  Mifery  and  Ruin  for  their  Sin, 
which  actually  will  be  the  Confequence,  unlefs  meer 
'Or ace  fleps  in  and  prevents  it.  If  this  be  allowed,  the 
Argument  from  Juflice  is  given  up  :  For  it  is  to  fuppofe 
that  their  Liablenefs  to  Mifery  &  Ruin  comes  in  a  Way  of 
Juflice  ;  otherwife  there  would  be  no  Need  of  the  Inter- 
pofition  of  divineGrace  to  fave  'em  ;  Juflice  alone  would 
be  fufficient  Security,  if  exercifed,  without  Grace.  'Tis 
^all  one  in  this  Diipute  about  what  is  juft  &  righteous,  whe- 
ther Men  are  born  in  a  miferable  State,  by  a  Tendency  to 
Ruin, which  aclually  follows,  and  that  juftly  ;  or  whether 
they  are  born  in  fuch  a  State  as  tends  toaDefert  ofRuin, 
which  might  juftly  follow,  and  would  aclually  follow,  did 
not  Grace  prevent.  For  the  Controverfy  is  not,  wha* 
Grace  will  do,  but  what  Juflice  might  do. 

I  have  been  the  more  particular  on  this  Head,  becaufe 
k  enervates  many  of  the  Reafonings  and  Conclufions  by 
which  Dr.  T.  makes  out  his  Scheme  ;  in  which  he  ar- 
gues from  that  State  which  Mankind  are  in  by  divine 
Grace,  yea,  which  he  himfelf  fuppofes  to  be  by  divine 
Grace;  and  yet  not  making  any  Allowance  for  this,  he 
from  hence  draws  Conclufions  againfl  what  others  fuppofe 
of  the  deplorable  and  ruin'd  State,  Mankind  are  in  by  the 

Fall 


Chap,  i.")      againft  a  corrupt  Nature,       7 

[Fall.f  Some  of  his  Arguments  and  Conclufions  to  this 
EfFect,  in  order  to  be  made  good,  muft  depend  on  fucha 
Suppofition  as  this ;  That  God's  Difpenfations  of  Grace 
are  Re&ifications  or  Amendments  of  his  foregoing  Confti- 
tutions  and  Proceedings,  which  were  meerly  legal ;  as  tho* 
the  Difpenfations  of  Grace,  which  fucceed  thofe  of  meer 
Law,  implied  anAcknowlegement,  that  the  prececding 
Legal  Conflitution  would  be  unjuft,  if  left  as  it  was,  or  at 
lead  very  hard  Dealing  with  Mankind ;  and  that  the  other 
were  of  the  Nature  of  a  Satisfaction  to  his  Creatures,  foe 
former  Injuries,  or  hard  Treatment  :  fo  that  put  together, 
the  Injury  with  the  Satisfaction, ,  the  legal  and  injurious 
Difpenfation  taken  with  the  following  good  Difpenfation, 
which  our  Author  calls  Grace,  and  the  Unfairnefs  or  im- 
proper Severity  of  the  former  amended  by  the  Goodnefs 
of  the  latter,  both  together  made  up  one  Righteous  Di£. 
.penfation.  The 

f  He  often  fpeaks  of  Death  and  Affiie~Hon.as  coming  onJdam's. 
Pofterity  in  Confequence  of  his  Sin  ;  and  in  P.  20,21.  and 
many  other  Places,  he  fuppofes  that  thefe  Things  come  in 
Confequence  of  his  Sin,not  as  a  Punifhment  or  a  Calamity, 
hut  as  a  Benefit  :  But  in  P.  23.  He  fuppofes,  thefe  Things 
would  be  a  great  Calamity  and  Mifery,if  it  were  not  for  the 
Refurreclion  ;  which  Refurrection  he  there,  and  in  the  fol- 
lowing Pages,  and  many  other  Places,  fpeaks  of  as  being 
by  Chrift  ;  and  often  fpeaks  of  it  as  being  by  the  Grace  of 
God  in  Chrift. 

P.  63,  64.  fpeaking  of  our  being  fubjected  to  Sorrow,  Labour 
and  Death, inConfequence  of  Ada?ns  Sin  ;  He  reprefents  thefe 
as  Evils  that  are  reverfed,  and  turned  into  Advantages, and 
that  we  are  delivered  from  through  Grace  in  Chrift.  And  ia 
P.  65,  66,  67.  Ke  fpeaks  of  God's  thus  turning  Death  into 
an  Advantage  through  Grace  in  Chrift,  as  what  vindicates 
the  Juftice  of  God  in  bringing  Death  by  Adam. 

P.  152,  156.  'Tis  one  Thing  which  he  alledges   againft  this 

Propofition  of  the  AfTembly  of  Divines,  That  we  are  by 

Nature  Bond-llaves  to  Satan  ;    That  God  hath  been  providing* 

.from  the  Beginning  of  the  World  to  this  Day,  various  Means  and 

Difpenfations^  to  prefervs  and  re  [cue  Mankindfrom  the.  Devil. 

'  P.  i69, 


woMrg*'  agu  corrupt  Nature.  Par.L 

Reader  is  defired  to  bear  this  in  Mind,  whieh  I 
have  faid  coacerj  ing  interpofition  of  divine  Grace,it's 
not  altering  the  Nature  of  Things,  as  they  are  in  them- 
felves;  and  accordingly,  when  I  fpeak  of  fuch  and  fuch 
an  evil  Tendency  of  Things,  belonging  to  the  prefent 

Nature 


P.  *68,  169,  170.  One  Thing  alledgsd,  in  Anfwcr  to  that 
Objection  againft  his  Doctrine,  That  we  are  in  worfe  Cir- 
cumfbnees  than  Adam,  is  the  Ha  ppy  Circumftances  we  are 
under  by  the  Provifion  and  Means  furnifhed,  through  free 
Grace  in  Chrifl.  , 
P.  228.  Among  other  Things  which  he  fays,  in  anfwering 
that  Argument  againfr  his  Doctrine,  and  bro't  to  ihew  Men 
have  Corruption  by  Nature,    viz.  That  there  is  a  Law  in 

our  Members, bringing  us  into  Captivity  to  the  Law  of 

Sin  and  Death,  fpoktn  of  Rom.  vii.  He  allows  that  the 
Cafe  of  thofe  who  are  under  a  Law  threatning  Deaih  for 
every  Sin  (which  Law  he  elfewhere  fays,  Jhews  us  the  natural 
and  proper  Demerit  of  Sin,  and  is  perfectly  confonant  to  evcrtajiing 
"Truth  and  Right  ecufnejs)  fnuft  he  quite  deplorable,  if  they  have  no 
Relief  from  the  Mercy  of  the  Lavjgiverl 

P.  367, 370.  In  Oppofition  to  what  is  fuppofed  of  the  mi- 

ferable  State  Mankind  are  brought  into  by  Adams  Sin,  one 
Thing  he  alledges,  is,  The  noble  Defigns  of  Love,  maniffed  by 
advancing  a  nezv  and  happy  Difpenfaticn,  founded  on  the  Obedience 
and  Righteoujnefs  of  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  that  altho'  by  Ada?n 
we  are  iubjecled  to  Death,  yet  in  this  Difpenfation  a  Refur- 
reCrien  is  provided  ;  And  that  Adams  Poiienty  are  under  a 
mild  Difpenfation  of  Grace  he.  t 

Vf  388,  389.  He  vindicates  God's  Dealings  with  Ada?n,  in 
placing  him  at  firlt.  under  thcRigour  of  Law,Tranfgrefs  and 
die  ("which,  as  he  exprefles  it,  vc as  putting  his  Happinefshn  a 
Foot  extremely  dangerous)  by  faying,  that  as  God  had  before  de- 
termined in  his  own  Breafl,  fo  he  immediately  ejlablijhed  his  Cove- 
nant upon  a  quite  different  Bottom,  namely,  upon  Grace. 
P.  398,  309.  againit  what  R.  R.  fays,ThatGod  forfook  Maa 
when  he  fell,  and  that  Mankind  zfrerAdam's  Sin  were  born 
without  the  divine  Favpur  &c.  He  alledges  among  other 
Things,  ChrifFs  coming  to  be  the  Propitiation  of  the  Sins  of  the 

whole  World And  the   Riches  of  God's  Mercy  in  giving  the 

Prornife  of  a  Redeemer  to  dejlroy  the  Works  of  the  Devil,—  'thai 
He  caught  his  finning  falling  Creature  in  the  Anns  of  his  Grace*    '■ 


•JA  All  Men  fin, 


Chap 
Sect 

Nature  and  State  of  Mankind,  underftand  Me  to  mean 
their  Tendency  as  they  are  in  themfehes,ab{\r2i&e&  from 
any  Confederation  of  that  Remedy  the  fovereign  and  infi- 
nite Grace  of  God  has  provided. 

Having  premifed  thefc  Things,  I  now  proceed  to  fay, 

That  Mankind  are  all  naturally  in  fuch  a  State,  as  is 
attended,  without  Fail,  with  this  Confequence  or  IfTue ; 
that  they  univerfally  run  themfelves  into  that  which  is, 
in  Effect,  their  own  utter  eternal  Perdition,  as  being  fi- 
nally accurfed  of  God,  and  the  Subjects  of  his  remedilefs 
Wrath,  thro*  Sin. 

From  which  I  infer,  that  the  natural  State  of  the  Mind 
of  Man  is  attended  with  a  Propenfity  of  Nature,  which  is 
prevalent  and  effectual,  to  fuch  an  IfTue  ;  and  that  there- 
fore their  Nature  is  corrupt  and  depraved  with  a  moral 
Depravity,  that  amounts  to  and  implies  their  utter  un- 
doing, 

Here  I  would  firfl  confider  theTruth  of  thePropofition; 
and  then  would  ihew  the  Certainty  of  the  Coniequences 
which  I  infer  from  it.  If  both  can  be  clearly  and  cer- 
tainly proved,  then  I  truft,  none  will  deny  but  that  the 
Doctrine  of  original  Depravity  is  evident,and  fo  theFalfe- 
nefs  of  Dr.  T — fs  Scheme  demonftrated  ;  the  greaueft 
Paft  of  whofe  Book,  that  he  calls  the  Scripture  DGclrine 
of  Original  Sin  &c.  is  againfl  the  Doctrine  of  innate  ^De- 
pravity. In  P.  383.  He  fpeaks  of  the  Conveyance  of 
a  corrupt  and  finful  Nature  to  Adam\  Pofterity  as  the 
grand  Point  to  be  proved  by  the  Maintainers  of  the 
Doctrine  of  original  Sin. 

In  order  to  demonftrate  what  is  averted  in  the  Propo- 
rtion laid  down,there  is  Need  only  that  thefe  two  Things 
fhould  be  made  manifeft :  One  is  this  Fact,  thai  all  Man- 
kind come  into  the  World  in  fuch  a  Stare,  as  without 
fail  comes  to  this  I  flue*  namely,  the  univerfal  CommilTion 
pf  Sin  ;  or  that  every  One  who  comes  to  act  in  the  World 
as  a  moral  Agent,  is,  in  a  greater  or  fefler  Degree,  guilty 
pf  Sin.    The  Other  is,  that  aU  Sia  defer*  es  ana  expofes 

to 


io  All  Men  fin.  Part  L 

to  utter  and  eternal  Deftru&ion,  under  God's  Wrath  and 
Curfe  ;  and  would  end  in  it,  were  it  not  for  the  Interpo- 
sition of  divine  Grace  to  prevent  the  Effect.  •  Both  which 
can  be  abundantly  demonftrated  to  be  agreeable  to  the 
Word  of  God,  and  to  Dr.  jT — r9s  own  Doctrine.* 

That  every  one  of  Mankind,  at  lead  of  them  that  are 
capable  of  acting  as  moral  Agents,  arc  guilty  of  Sin  (not 
jiow  taking  it  for  granted  that  they  come  guilty  into  the 
World)  is  a  Thing  mod  clearly  and  abundantly  evident 
from  the  holy  Scriptures  ;  i  Kings  viii.  46.  If  any  Man 
Jin  again/}  thee,  for  there  is  no  Man  that  ftnneth  not. 
£ccl.  vii.  20.  'There  is  not  ajufk  Man  upon  Earth  that 
doth  Good,  <&  ftnneth  not.  Job  ix.2,3.  I  know  it  is  fo  of 
a  'Truth,  ( i.  e.  as  Bildad  had  ]\i(l  before  faid,  That  God 
would  not  caft  away  a  perfect  Man  &c.)  but  how  Jhould 
Man  be  jujl  with  God  f  If  he  will  contend  with  him* 
he  cannot  anfwer  him  one  of  a  Thoufand.  To  the  like 
Purpofe,  Pfal.  cxliii.  2.  Enter  not  into  Judgment  with 
thy  Servant  \  for  in  thy  Sight  fhall  no  Man  living  be 
juftified.  So  the  Words  of  the  Apoftle  (in  which  he  has 
apparent  Reference  to  thofe  Words  of  the  Pfalmift)  Rom. 
iii.  19,20.  That  every  Mouth  may  be  flopped,  and  all 
the  World  become  guilty  before  God.  Therefore  by  the 
*Deeds  of  the  Law  there  fhall  no  Flefh  be  juflifed  in 

his 


*  JnhisA^on  Rom.  v.20.  P.379.  He  fays  as  follows  :  "The 
<c  Law,  I  conceive,  is  not  a  Difpenfation  fuitable  to  the 
cc  Infirmity  of  the  human  Nature  in  our  prefent  State  ;  Or 
**  it  doth  not  feem  congruous  to  the  Goodnefs  of  God,  to 
"  afford  us  no  other  Way  of  Salvation  but  by  Law,  which 
"  if  we  once  tranfgrefs  we  are  ruin'd  for  ever.  For  who 
gi  then  from  the  Beginning  of  the  World  could  be  faved  I 
"  And  therefore  it  feems  to  me,that  the  Law  was  not  abfo- 
"  lutely  intended  to  be  a  Rule  for  obtaining  Life,  even  to 
<c  Adam  in  Paradife  :  Grace  was  the  Difpenfation  God  in- 
"  tendedMankind  mould  be  under  :  And  therefore  Chrift 
u  was  fore-ordained  before  the  Foundation  of  the  World.'* 

There  are  various  other  Pafiages  in  this  Author's  Writings,  of 
the  like  Kind, 


Cha?.  l?        ^//  Sin  to  utter  Ruin.  1 1 

Sect.  1. 3 

his  Sight :  for  by  the  Law  is  the  Knowledge  of  Sin.  So 
Gal.  ii.i  6.  1  Joh.1.7,  — 10.  If  we  walk  in  the  Light,  the 
Blood  of  Chrift  cleanfeth  us  from  all  Sin.  Ifzvefay  that 
we  have  no  Sin,  we  deceive  ourfelves,  and  the  Truth  is 
not  in  us.  If  we  corfefs  our  Sins,  he  is  faithful  &jufi 
to  forgive  us  our  Sins, and  to  cleanfe  us  from  all  Unrighte- 
citfnefs.  If  we  fay  that  we  have  not  finned, we  make  him 
a  Liar,  and  his  Word  is  not  in  us.  As  in  this  Place, fo 
in  innumerable  other  Places,  Confeflion  and  Repentance 
of  Sin  are  fpoken  of  as  Duties  proper  for  all  ;  as  alfb 
Prayer  to  God  for  Pardon  of  Sin  ;  and  Forgivenefs  of 
thofe  that  injure  us,  from  that  Motive,  that  we  hope  to 
be  forgiven  of  God.  Univerfal  Guilt  of  Sin  might  alfb 
be  demonftrated  from  the  Appointment,  and  the  declared 
Ufe  and  End,of  the  ancient  Sacrifices  ;  and  alfo  from  the 
Ranfom,which  every  one  that  was  numbered  mlfrael,v/^ 
directed  to  pay,  to  make  Atonement  for  his  Soul,  Exod. 

xxx.  11 16.    All  are  reprefented,    not  only  as  being 

fmful,  but  as  having  great  and  manifold  Iniquity,  Job  ix. 
2,  3.  Jam.  iii.  1,  2. 

There  are  many  Scriptures  which  both  declare,thc  uni- 
verfal Sinfulnefs  of  Mankind,  and  alfo  that  all  Sin  de- 
ferves  and  juflly  expofes  to  everlafting  DeftrucYion,  under 
the  Wrath  and  Curfe  of  God  ;  and  fo  demonftrate  both 
Parts  of  the  Proportion  I  have  laid  down.  To  which 
Purpofe,  that  in  Gal.  iii.  10.  is  exceeding  full.  For  as 
many  as  are  of  the  Works  of  the  Lazu  are  under  the 
Curfe  ;  for  it  is  written,  Curfed  is  every  one  that  conti- 
nueth  not  in  all  'Things  which  are  written  in  the  Book 
of  the  Law, to  do  them.  How  manifeftly  is  it  implied  in 
the  Apoftle's  Meaning  here,that  there  is  no  Man  but  what 
fails  in  fome  Inftances  of  doing  all  Things  that  are  writ- 
ten in  the  Book  of  the  Law,  and  therefore  as  many  as 
have  their  Dependance  on  their  fulfilling  the  Law,are  un- 
der that  Curfe  which  is  pronounced  on  them  that  do  fail 
of  it  ?  And  hence  the  Apoftle  infers  in  the  next  Verfe, 
that  NO  MAN  is  jttftifad  by  the  Law  in  the  Sight  of 
God  i  as  he  had  faid  before  in  the  preceeding  Chapter, 

ver# 


1 2  All  Sin  to  utter  Ruin.  Part  I. 

ver.  1 6,  17.  By  the  Works  of  the  Law  flmll  no  Flefb  be 
juftified  -7  and  that  all  that  feek  to  be  juftified  by  the 
Works  of  the  Law,  are  found  Sinners.  The  Apoftle 
fhews  us  that  he  underftands,  that  by  this  Place  which  he 
cites  from  Deuteronomy,  the  Scripture  hath  concluded,  or 
Jhut  up,  all  under  Sin  ;  as  in  Chap,  iii.22.  So  that  here 
we  are  plainly  taught,  both  that  every  one  of  Mankind  is 
a  Sinner,  and  that  every  Sinner  is  under  the  Curfe  of 
God. 

To  the  like  Purpofe  is  that,  Rom.  iv.  14.  and  alfo 
2  Cor.  iii.  6,  7,  9.  where  the  Law  is  called  the  Letter 
that  kills,  the  Miniftration  of  "Death,  and  the  Mini- 
fir  ation  of  Condemnation.  The  Wrath,  Condemnation 
and  Death  which  is  threaten  d  in  the  Law  to  all  its  Tranf- 
greiTors,  is  final  Perdition,  the  fecond  Death,  eternal  Ruin; 
as  is  very  plain,  and  is  confefs'd.  And  this  Puniihment 
which  the  Law  threatens  for  every  Sin,  is  a  juft  Punish- 
ment ;  being  what  every  Sin  truly  deferves ;  God  s  Law 
being  a  righteous  Law,  and  the  Sentence  of  it  a  righteous 
Sentence. 

All  thefe  Things  are  what  Dr.  T.  him f elf  confefTes  and 
afTerts.  He  fays,  that  the  Law  of  God  requires  perfect 
Obedience.  {Note  on  Rom.  vii.  6.  P.  391,392.)  "  God 
*  can  never  require  imperfect  Obedience,  or  by  his  holy 
"  Law  allow  us  to  be  guilty  of  any  one  Sin,  how  (mall 
44  foever.  And  if  the  Law  as  a  Rule  of  Duty  were  in 
"  any  Refpetl.  aboliilied,  then  we  might  in  fome  Refpe&s 
u  tranfgrefs  the  Law,  and  yet  not  be  guilty  of  Sin.  The 
"  moral  Law,  or  Law  of  Nature,  is  the  Truth,  everlafl- 
'*  ing,  unchangeable ;  and  therefore,  as  fuch,  can  never 
€<  be  abrogated.  On  the  contrary,  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift 
Ci  has  promulgated  it  anew  under  the  Gofpel,  fuller  and 
"  clearer  than  it  was  in  the  Mofaica!  Conft itution,  or  any 
".  where  elfe  ;  — having  added  to  itsPrecepts  the  Sanction 
"  of  his  own  divine  Authority."  And  many  Things 
which  he  fays.imply  that  all  Mankind  do  in  fome  Degree 
tranfgrefs  the  Law.  In  P.  228.  fpeaking  of  what  may- 
be gathered  ■  from  &m.  vii,  &viii.  he  fays,  ''We  are 

very 


^ECT     \'\  Al1   ^    t0    UtUr    Ruin*  J3 

"  very  apt,  in  a  World  full  of  Temptation,  to  be  de« 
li  ceived,  and  drawn  into  Sin  by  bodily  Appetites  &c. 
ct  And  the  Cafe  of  thofe  who  are  under  a  Law 
"  threatning  Death  to  every  Sin,  mud  be  quite  deplora- 
"  ble,  if  they  have  no  Relief  from  the  Mercy  of  the 
<(  Lawgiver."  But  this  is  very  fully  declared  in  what 
he  fays  in  his  Note  on  Rom.  v.  20.  P.  378,  379.  His 
Words  are  as  follows  ; "  Indeed,  as  a  Rule  of  Action 
"  prefcribing  our  Duty,  it  (the  Law)  always  was,  and  al- 
'*  ways  muft  be  a  Rule  ordain'd  for  obtaining  Life  ;  but 
c.<  not  as  a  Rule  of  Juftification,  not  as  it  fubje&s  to  Death 
•'  for  everyTranfgreffion.  Fcr  if  it  COULD  in  it's  utmoft 
"  Rigour  have  given  us  Life,  then,  as  the  Apoftle  argues, 
"  it  would  have  been  againft  the  Promifes  of  God. —  For 
"  if  there  had  been  a  Law,in  the  ftricl:  and  rigorous  Senfe 
"  of  Law,  WHICH  COULD  HAVE  MADE  US 
"  LIVE,  verily  Juftification  fliould  have  been  by  the 
*'  Law.  But  he  fuppofes,  no  fuch  Law  was  ever  given: 
<e  and  therefore  there  is  Need  and  Room  enough  for  the 
4i  Promifes  of  Grace  ;  Or  as  he  argues,  Gal.  ii.  21.  It 
"  would  have  fruftrated,  or  rendred  ufelefs  the  Grace  of 
"  God.  For  if  Juftification  came  by  the  Law,  then  truly 
"  Chrift  is  dead  in  vain,  then  he  died  to  accomplifh  what 
"  was,  or  MIGHT  HAVE  BEEN  EFFECTED  by 
"  Law  it  felf,  without  his  Death.  Certainly  the  Law 
"  was  not  brought  in  among  the  Jews  to  be  a  Rule  of 
"  Juftification,  or  to  recover  'em  out  of  a  State  of  Death, 
"  and  to  procure  Life  by  their  finlefs  Obedience  to  it  : 
"  for  in  this,  as  well  as  in  another  Refpe<ft,it  was  WEAK ; 
"  not  in  it  felf,  but  through  the  WEAKNESS  of  our 
"  Flefli,  Rom.  viii.  3.  The  Law,  I  conceive,  is  not  a 
"  Difpenfation  fuitable  to  the  Infirmity  of  the  human 
il  Nature  in  our  prefent  State  ;  or  it  doth  not  feem  con- 
"  gruous  to  the  Goodnefs  of  God  to  afford  us  no  other 
"  Way  of  Salvation,  but  by  LAW  ;  WHICH  IF  WE 
«  ONCE  TRANSGRESS,  WE  ARERUIN'DFOR 
"  EVER.  FOR  WHO  THEN  FROM  THE  BE- 
u  GINNING  OF  THE  WORLD  COULD  BE  SA- 
~~  '  i  VED?" 


14  All  Sin  to  eternal  Part  I. 

s 

"  VED  ?  "  How  clear  and  exprefs  are  thefeThings,tha: 
no  one  of  Mankind  from  the  Beginning  of  the  World 
can  ever  be  juflified  by  Law,  becaufe  every  one  tranf- 
greffes  it  ?  * 

And  here  alfo  we  fee,    Dr.  T.  declares,  that  by  the 
Law  Men  are  fentenc' d  to  everlafting  Ruin  for  onelranf- 
greflion.     To  the  like  Purpofe  he  often  exprefles  himfelf. 
So,  P.  207.  "  The  Law  requireth  the  moil  extenfive  O- 
*'  bedience,difcovering  Sin  in  all  it's  Branches. — It  gives 
"  Sin  a  deadly  Force,    fubjecting  every  Tranfgreflion  to 
"  the  Penalty  of  Death  ;  and  yet  fupplieth  neither  Help 
u  nor  Hope  to  the  Sinner ;  but  leaveth  him  under  the 
"  Power  of  Sin    and  Sentence  of  Death."     In  P.  213. 
He  fpeaks  of  the  Law  as  extending  to  Luft  and  irregular 
Deftres,  and  to  every  Branch  and  Principle  of  Sin  ;  and 
even  to  its  latent  Principles,  and  minutejl  Branches. 
Again  (Note  on  Rc?n.  vii.  6.  P.  391.)  to  every  Sin,  hozu 
fmall  foever.     And  when  he  fpeaks  of  the  Law  fubje&ing 
every  Tranfgreflion  to  the  Penalty  of  Death,  he  means 
eternal  Death,  as  he  from  Time  to  Time  explains   the 
Matter.     In  P.  212.  He  fpeaks  of  the  Law  in  the  con* 
demning  Power  of  it,  as  binding  us  in  everlafting  Chains. 
In  P.  396.  He  fay?,  that  Death  which  is  the  Wages  of 
Sin,  is  the  fecond  D eat h  :  And  this  P.78.  he  explains  of 
final  Perdition.     In  his  Key,  P.  155.  §  264.    he   fays, 
"  The  Curfe  of  theLaw  fubjected  Men  for  every  Tranf- 
"  greflion  to  eternal  'Death"     So  in  Note  on  Rom.  v. 
2  o.  P.  3  7 1 .    c '  The  Law  of  Mofes  fubje&ed  thofe  who 
"  were  under  it  toDeath,meaning  byDeath  eternalDeath." 
Thefe  are  his  Words. 

He 


*  I  am  fenllble,  thefc  Things  are  quite  inconfiftent  with  what 

he  fays  elfewhere,  otfufficicnt  Power  in  all  Mankind  conftantty 

to  do  the  whole  Duty  which  God  requires  of  ye?n,  without  a  Ne- 

■  ceffity  of  breaking  God's  Law  in  any  Degree.  (P.  339,  340? 

344,348.)  But  I  hope,the  Reader  will  nor  think  me  accoun- 
table for  his  Inconfiitencef, 


Chap.  1.7  and  juft  Perdition.  15 

He  aifo  fuppofes,  that  this  Sentence  of  the  Law,  thus 
fubje&ing  Men  for  every,  even  the  leaft  Sin,  and  every 
minute/I  Branch,  and  latent  Principle  of  Sin,to  (6  dread- 
ful a  Punifhment,  hjafl  and  righteous ,  agre able  to  Truth 
and  the  Nature  of  Things,  or  to  the  natural  and  proper 
^Demerits  of  Sin.  This  he  is  very  full  in.  Thus  in  P.2 1. 
u  It  was  Sin  (fays  he)  which  fubjecled  to  Deuh  by  the 
"  Law,  JUS  •  LY  threatening  Sin  with  Death.  Which 
"  Law  was  given  us,that  Sin  might  appear  ;  might  be  fet 
"  forth  IN  IT'S  PROPER  COLOURS  ;  when  we  faw 
"  it  fubjefted  us toDeath by  aLawPERFECTLY  HOLY, 

*  JUST,  AND  GOOD;  ThatS'nby  theCommandment, 
M  bytheLaw^might  be  reprefented-WHAT  IT  REALLY 
u  IS,  an  exceeding  great  and  deadly  Evil."     So  inNote 
on  Rom.  v.  20.  P.  380.  "  The  Law  or  Miniftration  of 
ci  Death,  as  it  fubje&s  to  Death  for  every  Tranfgrefllon, 

*  is  ftill   of  Ufe  to  fliew  7  HE  NATURAL  AND 

*  PROPER  DEMERIT  OF  SIN.  Ibid.  P.  371,372. 
"  The  Language  of  the  Law,  Dying  thou  fhilt  die,  is  to 
"  be  understood  of  the  ^Demerit  of  theTranfgreflion,  that 
"  which  it  deferves.    Ibid.  P. 3  79.    "  The  Law  was  add- 

*  ed,  faith  Mx.Locke  on  the  Place,  becaufe  the  Ifraelites, 
<c  the  Poflerity  of  ^Abraham,  were  Tranfgreflburs  as 
"  well  as  other  Men,  to  fhew  them  their  Sins,  and  the 
"  Punifhment  &  Death,  which  in  STRICT  JUSTICE 
•*  they  incurred  by  them.  And  this  appears  to  be  a  true 
<c  Comment  on  Rom.  vii.  13. —  Sin;  by  Vertue  of  the 
"  Law,  fubjec"t.ed  you  to  Death  for  this  End,  that  Sin, 
<c  working  Death  in  us  by  that  which  is  holy,  jujl  &goodr 
"  PERFECTLY  CONSONANT  TO  EVfc,RL*ST- 

"  ING  TRUTH    AND   RIGHTKOUSNESS . 

ic  Confequently  every  Sin  is  in  flricl  Juftice  deferving 
*<  of  Wrath  &  Punifhment  ;  and  the  Law  in  its  Rigour 
"  was  given  to  the  Jews,  to  fet  home  this  awful  Truth 
"  upon  their  Confciences,  to  fhew  them  the  evil  and  per- 
**  nicious  NATURE  of  Sin  ;  And  that  being  confeious 
w  they  had  broke  the  Law  of  God,  this  might  convince 
*6  them  of  the  great  Need  they  had  of  the  FAVOUR 


1 6  All  Sin  to  eternal  &c.      Part  L 

Ci  of  the  Lawgiver,  and  oblige  them,  by  Faith  in  his 
«  GOODNESS,  to  fly  to  his  MERCY  for  Pardon  and 
<c  Salvation." 

If  the  Law  be  holy,  juft  and  good,  a  Conftkution  per- 
fectly agreeable  to  God's  Holinefs,  Juftice  and  Goodnefs  ; 
then  he  might  have  put  it  exactly  in  Execution,agreably  to 
all  thefe  his  Perfections.  Our  Author  himfeif  fays,P.40Q. 
t;  How  that  Conftkution,  which  eftablimes  a  Law,  the 
"  making  of  which  is  inconfiftent  with  the  juftice  and 
"  Goodnefs  of  God>  and  the  Executing  of  it  inconfiftent 
<c  with  his  Holinefs,  can  be  a  'righteous  Conftkution,  I 
"  confefs,  is  quite  beyond  my  Comprehenfion." 

Now  the  Reader  is  left  to  judge  whether  it  ben't  mod 
.plainly  and  fully  agreeable  to  Dr.  T—r\  own  Doctrine, 
that  there  never  was  any  one  Perfon  from  the  Beginning 
of  ^he  World,  ho  came  to  act  in  the  World  as  a  moral 
Agent,  and  that  it  is  not  to  be  hoped  there  ever  will 
be  any,  but  what  is  a  Sinner  or  TranfgreiTor  of  the  Law 
of  God  ;  and  that  therefore  this  proves  to  be  the  I  flue 
and  Event  of  Things,  with  refpect  to  all  Mankind  in  all 
Ages,  that,  by  the  natural  and  proper  Demerit  of  their 
own  Sinfulnefs,  and  in  the  Judgment  of  the  Law  of  God, 
which  is  perfectly  confonant  toTruth,  and  exhibitsThings 
in  their  true  Colours,  they  are  the  proper  Subjects  of  the 
Curfe  of  God,  eternal  Death,and  everlafting  Ruin  ;  which 
muft  be  the  actual  Confequence,  unlefs  the  Grace  or  Fa- 
vour of  the  Lawgiver  interpofe,  and  Mercy  prevail  for 
their  Pardon  and  Salvation.  The  Reader  has  feen  alfo 
how  agreeable  this  is  to  the  Doctrine  of  the  holy  Scrip- 
ture. 

And  if  fo,  and  what  has  been  obferved  concerning  th« 
Interpofnion  of  divine  Grace  be  remember'd,  namely, 
that  this  alters  not  the  Nature  of  Things  as  they  are  in 
themfelves,  and  that  it  don't  in  the  lead  affect  the  State  of 
the  Controverfy  we  are  upon,  concerning  the  true  Nature 
and  Tendency  of  the  State  that  Mankind  come  into  the 
World  in,  whether  Grace  prevents  the  fatal  Effect  or  no; 
I  fay,  if  thefe  Things  are  confide-red,  I  truft,  none  will 

deny 


Chap  i.  >  ConftantEffeSt  provesTendency.  17 

deny,  that  the  Propofition  that  was  laid  down,  is  fully 
proved,  as  agreeable  to  the  Word  of  God,  and  Dr.T* — f% 
own  Words  ;  viz.  That  Mankind  are  all  naturally  in  fuch  a 
State,  as  is  attended,  without  fail,  with  this  Confequence 
or  Ifliie,  that  they  univerfally  are  the  Subjects  of  that 
Guilt  and  Sinfulnefs,  which  is,  in  Effect,  their  utter  and 
eternal  Ruin,being  caft  wholly  out  of  the  Favour  of  God, 
and  fubjected  to  his  everlafting  Wrath  and  Curfe. 


SECT.     II. 

2/  follows  from  the  Propofition  -proved  In  the  fore- 
going Seclion,that  all  Mankind  are  under  the  Influ- 
ence of  a  prevailing  effectual  Tendency  in  their 
Nature,^  that  Sin  and  Wickednefs  >which  implies 
their  utter  and  eternal  Ruin. 

THE  Propofition  laid  down  being  proved,  the  Confe-* 
quence  of  it  remains  to  be  made  out,  viz.  That 
the  Mind  of  Man  has  a  natural  <Te?:de?icy  or  Propenfity 
to  that  Event,  which  has  been  fhewn  univerfally  and  in- 
fallibly to  take  Place ;  (if  this  bcn't  fufficiently  evident 
of  it  fclf,  without  Proof ;)  and  that  this  is  a  corrupt  or 
depraved  Propenfity. 

I  fhall  here  confider  the  former  Part  of  this  Confe- 
quence, namely,  whether  fuch  an  univerfal,  conflant,  in- 
fallible Event  is  truly  a  Proof  of  the  Being  of  any  Ten" 
dency  or  Propenfity  to  that  Event  ;  leaving  the  evil  and 
corrupt  Nature  of  fuch  a  Propenfity  to  be  confidered  af- 
terwards. 

If  any  mail  fay,  they  don't  think  that  it's  being  a 
thing  univerfal  and  infallible  in  Event,  that  Mankind  com- 
mit fome  Sin,  is  a  Proof  of  a  prevailing  Tendency  to  Sin  ; 
becaufe  they  don't  only  fin,  but  alfo  do  Good,  and  per- 
haps more  Good  than  Evil  :  Let  them  remember,  that 
the  Queftion  at  prefent  is  not,  How  much  Sin  there  is  a 
Tendency  to  ;  but,Whether  there  be  a  prevailingPropenfi- 
Jy  to  th?t  Xflue,  which  it  is  allowed  all  ftfth  m  actually 

C  come 


>8  Aconjlant  EffeEl  Part  I. 

come  to,th»t  all  fail  of  keeping  the  Law  perfectly ;  — Whe- 
ther there  ben't  a  Tendency  to  fuch  Imperfection  of  Obe- 
dience, as  always  without  fail  comes  to  pafs ;  to  that  De- 
gree of  Sinfulnefs,  at  lead,  which  all  fall  into  ;  and  fo  to 
that  utter  Ruin,  which  that  Sinfulnefs  implies  and  infer?. 
Whether   an  effectual  Propenfity   to  this  be  worth  the 
Name   of  Depravity,  becaufe  of  the  Good  that  may  be 
fuppofed  to  balance  it,  fhall  be  confidered  by  and  by.     If 
it  were  fo, that  all  Mankind,  in  ail  Nations  andAges,were 
at  leaft  one  Day  in  their  Lives  deprived  of  the  Ufe  of 
their  Reafon,  and  run  raving  mad ;  or  that  all.even  every 
individual  Perfbn,  once  cut  their  own  Throats,  or  put  out 
their  own  Eyes  ;  it  might  be  an  Evidence  of  fome  Ten- 
dency in  the  Nature  or  natural  State  of  Mankind  to  fuch 
an  Event ;  tho'  they  might  exercife  Reafon  many  more 
Days  than  they  were  diffracted,  and  were   kind  to  and 
tender  of  themfelves  oftener  than  they  mortally  and  cru- 
elly wounded  themfelves. 

To  determine  whether  the  unfailing  Conflancy  of  the 
above-named  Event  be  an  Evidence  of  Tendency,  let  it 
be  confidered, — What  can  be  meant  by Teride ncy, but  a  pre- 
vailing Liablenef3  or  Expofednefs  to  fuxh  or  fuch  an  E- 
vent  ?  Wherein  confiffs  the  Notion  of  any  fuch  thing,but 
fome  ftated  Prevalence  or  PrepOnderation  in  the  Nature  or 
State  of  Caufes  or  Occafions,  that  is- followed  by,  and  ib 
proves  to  be  effectual  to,  a  dated  Prevalence  or  Common- 
nefs  of  any  particularXind  of  Effect  ?  Or,fomething  in  the 
permanent  State  of  Things,  concerned  in  bringing  a  cer- 
tain Sort  of  Event  to  pafs,  which  is  a  Foundation  for  the 
Conftancy,  or  flrongly  prevailing  Probability,  of  fuch  an 
Event?  If  we  mean  this  by  Tendency  (as  I  know  not 
what  elfe  can  be  meant  by  it,  but  this,  or  fomething  like 
this)  then  it  is  manifeit,  that  where  we  fee  a  ftated  Pre- 
valence of  any  Kind  of  Effect  or  Event,  there  is  a 
Tendency  to  that  Effect  in  the  Nature  and  State  of 
it's  Caufes.  A  common  and  fteady  Effect  fhews,that  there 
is  fome-where  a  Preponderation,  a  prevailing  Expofednefs 
or  Liablenefs  in  the  State  of  Things,  to   what  comes  fo 

fteadily 


sC£HAP'ilL  \  proves  Tendency.  ig 

fteadily  to  pafs.  The  natural  Dictate  of  Reafon  fhews, 
that  where  there  is  an  Effect,  there  is  a  Caufe,  andaCaufe 
fufficient  for  the  Effect  ;  becaufe,  if  it  were  not  fufficient, 
it  would  not  be  effectual  :  and  that  therefore,  where  there 
is  a  dated  Prevalence  of  the  Effecl:,  there  is  a  ftated  Pre- 
valence in  the  Caufe  :  A  fteady  Effecl:  argues  a  fteady 
Caufe.  We  obtain  a  Notion  of  fuch  a  Thing  as  Tenden- 
cy, no  other  Way  than  by  Obfervation  :  And  we  can  ob- 
ferve  nothing  but  Events  :  And  'tis  the  Commonnefs  or 
Conftancy  of  Events,that  gives  us  a  Notion  of  Tendency 
in  all  Cafes.  Thus  we  judge  of  Tendencies  in  the  natural 
World.  Thus  we  judge  of  the  Tendencies  or  Propensi- 
ties of  Nature  in  Minerals,  Vegetables,  Animals,  rational 
and  irrational  Creatures.  A  Notion  of  a  ftatedTendency 
or  fix'd  Propensity  is  not  obtain'd  by  obferving  only  a 
fing;e  Event.  A  ftated  Preponderation  in  the  Caufe  or 
Occafion,  is  argued  only  by  a  ftated  Prevalence  of  the 
Effecl:.  If  a  Die  be  once  thrown,  and  it  falls  on  a  par- 
ticifar  Side,  we  don't  argue  from  hence,  that  that  Side  is 
the  heavieft ;  but  if  it  be  thrown  without  Skill  or  Care„ 
many  Thoufands  or  Millions  of  Times  going,  and  con- 
ftantly  falls  on  the  fame  Side,  we  have  not  the  leaft 
Doubt  in  our  Minds,,  but  that  there  is  fomething  of  Pro- 
penfity  in  the  Cafe,  by  fuperiour  Weight  of  that  Side,  or 
in  fome  other  refpect.  How  ridiculous  would  he  make 
"himfeif,  wholhould  earneftly  difpute  againft  anyTenden- 
cy  in  the  Srate  of  Things  to  Cold  in  the  Winter,  or  Heat 
in  the  Summer  ;  or  fhould  ftand  to  it,  that  altho'  it  often 
happen'd  that  Water  quench'd  Fire,  yet  there  was  no 
Tendency  in  it  to  fuch  an  Effecl  ? 

In  the  Cafe  we  are  upon,  the  human  Nature,as  exifting 
in-  fuch  an  immenfe  DiverHty  of  Perfons  and  Circumftan- 
ces,  and  never  failing  in  any  one  Inftance,  of  coming  to 
that  Iifue,  viz.  that  Sinfulnefs  which  implies  extreme 
Mifery  and  eternal  Ruin,  is  as  the  Die  often  caft.  For  it 
alters  not  the  Cafe,  in  the  leaft,  as  to  the  Evidence  of 
Tendency,  whether  the  Subject  of  the  conftant  Event  be 
an  Individual,  or  a  Nature  and  Kind.  Thus,if  there  be  a 
C  2  Succedion 


20  Umverfal  Sin  proves        Part  L 

Succeflion  of  Trees  of  the  fame  Sort,  proceeding  one 
from  another,  from  the  Beginning  of  the  World,  growing 
in  all  Countries,  Soils  and  Climates,  and  otherwife  in  (  as 
it  were)  an  infinite  Variety  of  Circumftances,  all  bearing  ill 
Fruit;  it  as  much  proves  the  Nature  and  Tendency  of 
the  Kind,  as  if  it  were  only  one  Individual  Tree,  that  had 
temain'd  from  the  Beginning  of  the  World,  had  often 
been  tranfplanted  into  different  Soils  &c.  and  had  conti- 
nued to  bear  only  bad  Fruit.  So,  if  there  were  a  particu- 
lar Family,  which,  from  Generation  to  Generation, 
and  thro'  every  Remove  to  innumerable  different  Coun- 
tries and  Places  of  Abode,  all  died  of  a  Confumption,  or 
all  run  diffracted,  or  all  murder'd  themfelves,  it  would  be 
as  much  an  Evidence  of  the  Tendency  of  fomething  in 
the  Nature  or  Conftitution  of  that  Race,  as  it  would  be  of 
the  Tendency  of  fomething  m  the  Nature  or  State  of  an 
Individual,if  fome  onePerfonhad  liv'dall  that  Time,  and 
fbme  remarkable  Event  had  often  appeared  in  him,  which 
he  had  been  the  Agent  or  Subject  of,  from  Year  to  Year, 
and  from  Age  to  Age,  continually  and  without  Fail,  f 

Thus 

Ktm  I   II  II  a—— ——■■■n    i  I    ....     i.n-  i.    iniT    i.       ■  ._ 

f  Here  may  be  obferved  the  Weaknefs  of  that  Obje6lion,made 
againft  the  Validity  of  the  Argument  for  a  fix'd  Propenfity 
to  Sin,  from  the  Conftancy  and  Univerfality  of  the  Event, 
That  Adam  fin'd  in  one  Inttance,without  a  fix'd  Propenfity, 
Without  Doubt  a  tingle  Event  is  an  Evidence,  that  there 
was  fome  Caufe  or  Occaiion  of  that  Event :  But  the  thing 
we  are  fpeaking  of,  is  a  fefd  Caufe :  Propenfity  is  a  fated 
continued  thing.  We  jtfftiy  argue,  that  ijlated  Effeft  mud 
have  zftated  Caufe  \  and  truly  obferve,  that  we  obtain  the 
Notion  of  Tendency,  or  Jlated  Preponderatim  in  Caufes,  no 
other  Way  than  by  obferving  a  dated  Prevalence  of  a  parti- 
cular Kind  of  Effect.  But  who  ever  argues  a  fix'd  Pro- 
penfity from  a  fingle  Effect  ?  And  is  it  not  ftrange  arguing, 
that  beeaufe  an  Event  which  once  comes  to  pafs, don't  prove 
any  ftated  Tendency,  therefore  the  unfailing  Conftancy 
of  anEvent  is  an  Evidence  of  no  fuch  thing  ?— But  beeaufe 
Dr.T.  makes  fo  much  of  this  Objection,  fromJdam's  finning 
without  a  Propenfity,  I  (hall  hereafter  confider  it  more  par- 
ticularly, in  the  Beginning  of  the  9th  Sefiion  of  this  Chap- 
ter; where  will  alfo  be  confidejred  what  is  objected  from  ths 
Fall  of  the  Angels, 


Chap,  j.  —  -. 


'sect '  ii'  }         Prope?ifay  to  Sm. 


Thus  a  Propenfity  attending  the  prefent  Nature  or  na- 
tural State  of  Mankind,  eternally  to  ruin  themfelves  by 
Sin,  may  certainly  be  infer'd  from  apparent  and  acknow- 
ledged Fact — And  I  would  now  obferve  further,  that  not 
only  does  this  follow  from  Facls  that  are  acknowledged 
by  Dr.  T  but  the  Things  he  ajferts,  the  ExprefTions  and 
Words  which  he  ufes,  do  plainly  imply  that  ail  Mankind 
have  fuch  a  Propenfity  ;  yea,  one  of  the  higheft  Kind,  a 
Propenfity   that   is  invincible,    or  a   Tendency   which 
really  amounts    to  a  flx'd  conftant  unfailing  Necefjlty* 
There  is  a  plain  Confemon  of  a  Propenfity  or  Prcnenefsr 
to  Sin,  P.  143. —  "  Man,  who  drinketh  in  Iniquity  like 
Water  ;  who  is  attended  withfo  many  fenfual  Appetites, 
and  fo  APT  to  indulge  them— "       And  again    P.  228, 
"  WE  ARE  VERY  APTinaWorld  full  of Temptation, 
to  be  deceiv'd,  &  drawn  into  Sin  by  bodily  Appetites." — If 
we  are  very  apt  or  prone  to  be  drawn  into  Sin  by  bodily 
Appetites,  and  fmfully  to  indulge  them,  and  very  apt  or 
prone  to  yield  to  Temptation  to  Sin,  then  we  are  prone, 
to  Sin  :  for  to  yield  to  Temptation  to  Sin,  is  finfuL — In 
the  fame  Page  he  reprefents,  that  on  this  Account,  and 
on  Account  of  the  Confequences  of  this,  the  Cafe  ofthofe 
ivho  are  under  a  Lazv  threatning  'Death  for  every  Sin% 
mufl  be  quite  deplorable,  if  they  have  no  Relief  from  the 
Mercy  of  the  Laugher.     Which  implies,  that  their  Cafe 
is  hopelefs,   as  to  an  efcape  from  Death,  the  Punifhment 
of  Sin,  by  any  other  Means  than  God'sMercy.     And  that 
implies,that  there  is  fuch  an  Aptnefs  to  yield  to  Tempta- 
tion to  Sin,  that  'tis  hopelefs  that  any  of  Mankind  mould 
wholly  avoid  it.     But  he  fpeaks  of  it  elfewhere,  over  and 
over,  as  truly  impojfible,  or  what  can't  be ;  as  intheWords 
which  were  cited  in  the  lad  SecJion  from  his  Note  onRom* 
v.  20.  where  he  repeatedly  fpeaks  of  the  Law,  whicfe 
fubje&s   us   to  Death  for  every  TranfgreiTion,    as  whac 
CANNOT  GIVE  LIFE  ;  and  reprefents.thatif  God 
-offer'd  us  no  other  Way  of  Salvation,  no  Man  from  the 
Beginning  of  the  World  COUUD    be  faved.     In  the 
£ame  Place  he  with  Approbation  cites  Mx.Locke\  Words, 

C  2  in 


2  2  That  all  do  Jin,  proves       Part  I. 

in  which,   fpeaking  of  the  Ifraelites,  he  fays,  <c  All  En- 
"  deavou'rs  after  Righteoufnefs  was  LOST  LABOUR, 
"  fince  any  one  Slip  forfeited  Life,  &  it  was  IMPOSSI- 
<c  BLE  for  them  to  expect  ought  butDeath."   OurAuthor 
fpeaks  of  it  as  impofTible  for  the  Law  requiring  finlefs  O- 
bedience,  to  give  Life,  not  that  the  Law  was  weak  in  it 
felf  but  thro*  the  JVeaknefs  of  our  Flejh.     Therefore, 
he  (ays,  he  conceives  the  Law  not  to  be  a  T>ifpe?fation 
fui  table  to  the  Infirmity  of  the  human  Nature  in  its  pre- 
fent  State.     Thefe  Things  amount  to  a  full  ConfelTion, 
that  the  Pronenefs  in  Men  to  Sin,    and  to  a  Demerit  of 
and  jufl  Expofednefs  to  eternal  Ruin  by  Sin,    is  univer- 
fally  invincible,   or,  which  i.s  the  fameThing,  amounts  to 
abfolute  invincible  NecefTity  ;  which  furely  is  the  higheft 
Kind  of  Tendency,  or  Propenfky  :  and  that  not  the  lefs 
for  his  laying  this  Propenfky  to  our  Infirmity  orAVeaknefs, 
which  may  fcem  to  intimate  fome  Defect,  rather  than  any 
Thing  pofitive :  And  'tis  agreable    to  the  Sentiments  of 
the  beft.  Divines,  tjiat.all  Sin  originally  comes  from  a  de- 
fective or  privative  Caufe.     But  Sin  don't  ceafe  to  be  Sin, 
or  a  Thing    not  juftly  expofmg  to  eternal  Ruin    (as  is 
imply'd  in  Dr.  jT~-  r's  own  Words)    for  arifing  from  In- 
firmity or  Defect ;  nor  does  an  invincible  Propenfity  to 
Sin  ceafe  to  be  a  Propenfity  to  fuch  Dement  of  eternal 
Ruin,  becaufe  the  Pronenefs  arifes  from  fuch  a  Caufe. 
\^f     It  is  manifefr,that  this  Tendency  which  has  been  prov- 
ed, don't  confifl  in  any  particular  external  Circumstances, 
that  fome  or  many  are  in,  peculiarly  tempting  and  influ- 
encing their  Minds  j    but  is  inherent,  and  is  feated  in  that 
Nature  which  is  common  to  all  Mankind, which  they  car- 
ry with  them  wherever  they  go,  and  ftill  remains  the  fame, 
however  Circumflances  may  differ.     For  it  is  implied  in 
what  has  been  proved,  and  ihewn  to  be  confefs'd,that  the 
fame  Event  comes  to  pafs  in  all  Circumflances,    that  any 
of  Mankind  ever  are  or  can  be  under  in  the  World.     In 
God's  Sight  no  Man  living  can  be  juflified  ;  but  all  are 
Sinners,  and  expofed  to  Condemnation.     This  is  true  of 
Perfons  of  all  Conftitutions,  Capacities,  Conditions,  Man- 
ners, 


Se"tP,ii'^        Propenfity  of  Nature.  23 

ners,  Opinions  and  Educations  ;  in  all  Countries,Gimates, 
Nations  and  Ages  ;  and  through  all  the  mighty  Changes 
and  Revolutions,  which  have  come  to  pafs  in  the  habitable 
World. 

We  have  the  fame  Evidence,  that  the  Propenfity  in  this 
Cafe  lies  in  the  Nature  of  the  Subject,  and  don't  arife 
from  any  particular  Circumitances,  as  we  have  in  any 
Cafe  whatfoever  ;  which  is  only  by  the  Effects  appearing 
to  be  the  fame  in  all  Changes  of  Time  and  Place,  and  un- 
der all  Varieties  of  Circumftances.  It  is  in  thisWay  only 
we  judge,  that  any  Propenfities,  which  we  obferve  in 
Mankind,  are  fuch  as  are  feated  in  theirNature,in  all  other 
Cafes.  'Tis  thus  we  judge  of  the  mutual  Propenfity  be- 
twixt the  Sexes,  or  of  the  Difpofitions  which  are  exercifed 
in  any  of  the  natural  Paflions  or  Appetites,  that  they 
truly  belong  to  the  Nature  of  Man  ;  becaufe  they  are 
Gbferved  in  Mankind  in  general,  through  all  Countries, 
Nations  and  Ages,  and  in  all  Conditions. 

If  any  fhould  fay,  Tho'  k  be  evident  that  there  is  a 
Tendency  in  the  State  of  Things  to  this  general  Event, 
that  ail  Mankind  fhould  fail  of  perfect  Obedience,  and 
iliould  fin,  and  incur  a  Demerit  of  eternal  Ruin  ;  and 
alfo  that  this  Tendency  don't  lie  in  any  diftinguifhing 
Circumitances  of  any  particular  People,  Perfon  or  Age  z 
yet  it  may  not  lie  in  Man's  Nature,  but  in  the  general  Con- 
ilitution  &  Frame  of  thisWorld,into  which  Men  are  born* 
Tho'  the  Nature  of  Man  may  be  good,  without  any  evil 
Propenfity  inherent  in  it  ;  yet  the  Nature  and  univerfal 
State  of  this  earthly  World  may  be  fuch  as  to  be  full  o£ 
fo  many  and  ftrong  Temptations  every  where,and  of  fuch 
a  powerful  Influence  on  fuch  a  Creature  as  Man,  dwell- 
ing in  fo  infirm  a  Body  &c.  that  the  Refult  of  the  whole 
may  be,  a  ftrong  and  infallible  Tendency  in  fuch  a  State 
cf  Things,  to  the  Sin  and  eternal  Ruin  of  every  one  of 
Mankind. 

To  this  I  would  reply,  that  fuch  an  Evafion  will  not 
at  all  avail  to  the  Purpofe  of  thofe  whom  I  oppofe  in  this 
Controverfy.     It  alters  not  the  Cafe  as  to  this  Queftion, 

C  4  Whether 


54  Tthat  all  do  Jin ,  proves        Part  I. 

Whether  Man  is  not  a  Creature  that  in  his  prefent  State 
is  depraved  and  ruin'd  by  Propenfities  to  Sin.  If  any 
Creature  be  of  fuch  a  Nature  that  it  proves  evil  in  its 
proper  Place,  or  in  the  Situation  which  God  has  afligned 
5t  in  the  Univerfe,  it  is  of  an  evil  Nature.  That  Part 
of  the  Syftem  is  not  good,which  is  not  good  in  it's  Place 
5n  the  Syftem  :  and  thofe  inherent  Qualities  of  that  Part 
of  the  Syftem,  which  are  not  good,  but  corrupt,  in  that 
Place,  are  juftly  looked  upon  as  evil  inherent  Qualities. 
That]  Propenfity  is  truly  efteemed  to  belong  to  the 
Nature  of  any  Being,  or  to  be  inherent  in  it,  that  is  the 
•neceflary  Confequence  of  it's  Nature3confidered  together 
with  it's  proper  Situation  in  the  univerfal  Syftem  of  Ex- 
iftence,  whether  that  Propenfity  be  good  or  bad.  5Tis 
the  Nature  of  a  Stone,  to  be  heavy  ;  but  yet,  if  it  were 
placed,  as  it  might  be,  at  a  Diftance  from  this  World,  it 
would  have  no  fuch  Quality.  But  feeing  a  Stone  is  of 
luch  a  Nature,  that  it  will  have  this  Quality  or  Tenden- 
cy, in  it's  proper  Place,  here  in  this  World,  where  God 
has  made  it,  'tis  properly  look'd  upon  as  a  Propenfity  be- 
longing to  it's  Nature  :  And  if  it  be  a  good  Propenfity 
here  in  it's  proper  Place,  then  it  is  a  good  Quality  of  it's 
Nature  ;  But  if  it  be  contrariwife,  it  is  an  evil  natural 
Quality.  So,  if  Mankind  are  of  fuch  aNature,that  they 
Iiave  an  univerfal  effectual  Tendency  to  Sin  and  Ruin,  in 
this  World,  where  God  has  made  and  placed  them,  this  is 
to  be  looked  upon  as  a  pernicious  Tendency  belonging 
to  their  Nature.  There  is,  perhaps,  fcarce  any  fuch 
thing  in  Beings  not  independent  and  fe If- ex iflent,  as  any 
Power  or  Tendency,  but  what  hasfome  Dependance  on 
other  Beings,  which  they  ftand  in  fome  Connection  with, 
in  the  univerfal  Syftem  of  Exiftence  :  Propenfities  are 
no  Propenfities,  any  otherwife,  than  as  taken  with  their 
Objects.  Thus  it  is  with  the  Tendencies  obferved  in 
natural  Bodies, fuch  as  Gravity,Magnetifm,Eleclxicity  &c. 
And  thus  it  is  with  the  Propenfities  obferved  in  the  vari- 
ous Kinds  of  Animals  ;  and  thus  it  is  with  moft  of  the 
Propenfities  in  created  Spirits, 

It 


Chap.  I. 


ECT 


«J-2         Propenfity  of  Nature,         25 

It  may  further  be  obferved,  that  it  is  exactly  the  fame 
thing,  as  to  the  Controverfy  concerning  an  Agreeablenefs 
withGod's  moral  Perfections  of  fnch  a  Difpofal  of  Things, 
that  Man  fhould  come  into  theWorld  in  a  depraved  ruin'd 
State,  by  a  Propenfity  to  Sin  and  Ruin  ;  whether  God 
Jhas  fo  ordered  it,  that  this  Propenfity  fhould  lie  in  his 
Nature  confidered  alone,  or  with  Relation  to  it's  Situa- 
tion in  the  Univerfe,  and  it's  Connexion  with  other  Parts 
of  the  Syftem  to  which  the  Creator  has  united  it ;  which 
is  as  much  of  God's  ordering,  as  Man's  Nature  it  fclf, 
mofr.  (imply  confidered. 

Dr.  T.  (P.  1 88,1 89.)  fpeaking of  theAttempt of  Some 
to  folve  the  Difficulty  of  God's  being  the  Author  of  our 
Nature,  and  yet  that  our  Nature  is  polluted,  by  fuppo- 
fing  that  God  makes  the  Soul  pure,  but  unites  it  to  a 
polluted  Body  [or  a  Body  fo  made,  as  tends  to  pollute 
the  Soul  ;]  He  cries  out  of  it  as  weak  and  infufficient,and 
too  grofs  to  be  admitted  :  For, fays  he,  Who  infufedthe 
Soul  into  the  Body  ?  And  if  it  is  polluted  by  being  in- 
fufed  into  the  Body,  who  is  the  Author  and  Caufe  of  ifs 
Pollution  f  And  who  created  the  Body  &c  ? — But  is  not 
the  Cafe  juft  the  fame,  as  to  thofe  who  fuppofe  that  God 
made  the  Soul  pure,  and  places  it  in  a  polluted  World,  or 
a  World  tending  by  it's  natural  State  in  which  it  is  made, 
to  pollute  the  Soul,  or  to  have  fuch  an  Influence  upon  it, 
that  it  fhail  without  fail  be  polluted  with  Sin,  and  eter- 
nally ruin'd  ?  Here,  mayn't  I  alfo  cry  out,  on  as  good 
Grounds  as  Dr.  T. —  Who  placed  the  Soul  here  in  this 
World  ?  And  if  the  World  be  polluted,  or  fo  conftituted 
as  naturally  and  infallibly  to  pollute  the  Soul  with  Sin, 
who  is  the  Caufe  of  this  Pollution  ?  And,who  created  the 
World  —  ? 

Tho'  in  the  Place  now  cited,  Dr.  T.  fo  infifh  upon  it, 
that  God  mud  be  anfwerable  for  thePollution  of  the  Soul, 
if  he  has  infufed  or  put  the  Soul  into  a  Body  that  tends 
to  pollute  it ;  yet  this  is  the  very  Thing  which  he  himfelf 
fuppofes  to  be  Faft,  with  refpeel:  to  the  Soul's  being  cre- 
ated by  God;  in  fuch  a  Body  as  it  is;  and  in  fuch  aWorld 

as 


26     That  all Men  do  Sin>  proves  a    Par.I. 

as  it  is ;  in  a  Place  which  I  have  already  had  Occafion  to 
obferve,    where  he  fays,  "  We  are  apt,  in  a  World  full 
"  of  Temptation,  to  be  drawn  into  Sin  by  bodily  Appe- 
"  tites."     And  if  fo,  according  to  his  Way  of  Reafoning, 
God  muft  be  the  Author  and  Caufe  of  this  Aptnefs  to  be 
drawn  into  Sin.     Again  P.  143.  we  have  thefe  Words, 
"  Who  drinketh  in  Iniquity  like  Water  ;  who  is  attend- 
"  ed  with  jo  many  fenfual  Appetites,  and  fo  apt  to  in- 
"  dulge  thern^     In  thefe  Words  our  Author  in  Effect 
fays  the  individual  thing  that  he  cries  out  of  as  fo  g rojs, 
viz.  The  Tendency  of  the  Body,    as    God  has  made  it, 
to  pollute  the  Soul,  which  he  has  infufed  into  it.     Thefe 
fenfual  Appetites,  which  incline  the  Soul,  or  make  it  apt 
to  a  finful  Indulgence,    are  either  from  the   Body  which 
God  hath  made,  or  otherwife  a  Pronenefs  to  finful  Indul- 
gence is  immediately  and  originally  feated  in  the  Soul  it 
felf,  which  will  not  mend  the  Matter,  for  Dr.  Taylor. 

I  would  here  laflly  obferve,  that  our  Author  infifts 
upon  it,  P.  317,318.  That  this  lower  World  where  we 
dwell,  inks  prefent  State,  "  Is  as  it  was,  when,  upon  a 
"  Review,  God  pronounced  it,  and  all  it's  Furniture,very 
"  good. — And  that  the  prefent  Form  and  Furniture  of 
"  the  Earth  is  full  of  God's  Riches,  Mercy  &  Goodnefs, 
"  and  of  the  moft  evident  Tokens  of  his  Love  &  Bounty 
"  to  the  Inhabitants."  If  fo,  there  can  be  no  Room  for 
fuch  an  Evafion  of  the  Evidences  from  Fact,  of  the  uni<« 
verfal  infallibleTendency  of  Man'sNature  to  Sin  &  eternal 
Perdition,  as,  that  the  Tendency  there  is  to  this  Iflue,don't 
lie  in  Man's  Nature,  but  in  the  general  Conftitution  and 
Frame  of  this  earthly  World,  which  God  hath  made  tq 
be  the  Habitation  of  Mankind. 


Sect 


Chap 
Sect.III 


1  -  XDeprav  d^ruiri dStateof Nature.  2  7 


Sec  t.    III. 


That  Tropenfity  which  has  been  proved  to  be  in  the 
Nature  of  all  Mankind,  muft  tea  very  evil,  de- 
praved and  pernicious  Propenfiry  ;  making  it 
manifeft  that  the  Soul  of  Man,  as  it  is  by  Nature, 
is  in  a  corrupt,  fallen  and  ruin'd  State :  -which 
is  the  other  'Tart  of  the  Conference  y  drawn  from 
the  Tropofition  laid  down  in  the  fir  ft  Seclion. 

THE  Queftion  to  be  confidered,  in  Order  to  deter- 
mine whether  Man's  Nature  is  not  depraved  and 
ruirfd,  is  not,  Whether  he  is  not  inclined  to  perform  as 
many  good  Deeds  as  bad  ones  ?  But,Which  of  thefe  two 
he  preponderates  to,  in  the  Frame  of  his  Heart,  and  State 
of  his  Nature,  a  State  of  Innocence  and  Righteoufnefs, 
and  Favour  with  God',  or  a  State  of  Sin,Guiltinefs  and 
Abhorrence  in  the  Sight  of  God  t —  Perfevering  finlefs 
Righteoufnefs,  or  elfe  the  Guilt  oF  Sin,  is  theAlternative, 
the  Decifion  of  which  depends  (as  is  confefled)  according 
to  the  Nature  and  Truth  of  Things,  as  they  are  in  them- 
felves,  and  according  to  the  Rule  of  Right  and  of  perfect 
Juftice,  Man's  being  approved  and  accepted  of  hisMaker, 
and  eternally  blefTed  as  good  ;  or  his  being  rejecl:ed,throvvn 
away  and  curfed  as  bad.  And  therefore  the  Determi- 
nation of  the  Tendency  of  Man's  Heart  and  Nature  with 
refpecl  to  thefe  Terms,  is  that  which  is  to  be  look'd  at, 
m  Order  to  determine  whether  his  Nature  is  good  or  evil, 
pure  or  corrupt,  found  or  ruin'd.  If  fuch  be  Man's  Na- 
ture, and  ftate  of  his  Heart,  that  he  has  an  infallibly  e£- 
feclual  Propenfity  to  the  latter  of  thofe  Terms  ;  then  it 
is  wholly  impertinent,  to  talk  of  the  innocent  and  kind 
Actions,  even  of  Criminals  themfelves,  furpajftng  their 
Crimes  in  Numbers  ;  and  of  the  prevailing  Innocence y 
good  Nature,  Induflry,  Felicity  and  Chearfulnefs  of  the 
greater  Part  of  Mankind,  Let  never  fo  many  Thou- 
fends,  or  Millions  of  A&s  of  Honefty,'  good  Nature  &c. 

be 


2  8  Hois  Propenfity ^  mojl  Part  I. 

be  fuppofed;  yet,  by  the  Suppofition,  there  is  an  unfail- 
ing Propenfity  to  fuch  moral  Evil,  as  in  it's  dreadfulCon- 
fequences  infinitely  out-weighs  all  ErTe&s  or  Confequen- 
ces  of  any  fuppofedGood.     Surely  thatTcndency, which, 
in  EfTeft,  is  an  infallibleTendency  to  eternal  Deflru&ion, 
is  an  infinitely  dreadful  &  perniciousTendency  :  And  that 
Nature  &  Frame  of  Mind, which  implies  fuch  aTendency, 
to  uft  be  an  infinitely  dreadful  &  pernicious  Frame  of  Mind. 
It  would  be  much  more  abfurd,  to  fuppofe,   that  fuch  a 
State  of  Nature  is  good,  or  not  bad,  under  a  Notion  of 
Men's  doing  more  honeft  and  kind  things,  than  evil  ones ; 
than  to  fay,  the  State  of  that  Ship  is  good,    to  crofs  the 
Atlantick  Ocean  in,  that  is  fuch  as  cannot  hold  together 
through  the  Voyage,  but  will  infallibly  founder  and  link 
by  the  Way  ;    under  a  Notion  that  it  may  probably  go 
great  Part  of  the  Way  before  it  finks,  or  that  it  will  pro- 
ceed and  fail  above  Water  more  Hours  than  it  will  be  in 
finking  : — Or,to  pronounce  thatRoad  a  good  Road  to  go 
to  fuch  a  Place,   the  greater  Part  of  which  is  plain  and 
fafe,  tho'  fome  Parts  of  it  are  dangerous,    and  certainly 
fatal  to  them  that  travel  in  it  ;  or  to  call  that  a  good  Pro- 
penfity, which  is  an  inflexible  Inclination  to  travel  in  fuch 
a  Way. 

A  Propenfity  to  that  Sin  which  brings  God's  eternal 
Wrath  and  Curfe  (which  has  been  proved  to  belong  to  the 
Nature  of  Man)  is  not  evil,  only  as  it  is  calamitous  and 
forrowj III, ending  in  great  natural  Evil ;  but  it  is  odious  too, 
and  deteftable  ;  as,  by  the  Suppofition,  it  tends  to  that 
moral  Evil,  by  which  the  Subject  becomes  odious  in  the 
Sight  of  God,  and  liable,  as  fuch,  to  be  condemned,  and 
utterly  rejected  and  curfed  by  him.  This  alfo  makes  it 
evident,  that  the  State  which  it  has  been  proved  Mankind 
are  in,  is  a  corrupt  State  in  a  moral  Senfe,  that  it  is  in- 
confident  with  the  Fulfilment  of  the  Law  of  God,  which 
is  the  Rule  of  moral  Rectitude  and  Goodnefs.  That 
Tendency,  which  is  oppofne  to  that  which  the  moral 
Law  requires  and  infills  upon,  and  prone  to  that  which 
the  moral  Law  utterly  forbids,  and  eternally  condemns 

the 


s*1*  ffl  1       corrupt  and  pernicious.        2  9 

the  Subject  for,  isdoubtlefs  a  corrupt  Tendency,  in  a  mo- 
ral Senfe. 

So  that  this  Depravity  is  both  odious  >  and  alfo  perni- 
cious, fatal  and  deftruclive,  in  the  highefl  Senfe,  as  ine- 
vitably tending  to  that  which  implies  Man's  eternal  Ruin ; 
it  Ihews,  that  Man,  as  he  is  by  Nature,  is  in  a  deplorable 
and  undone  State,  in  the  highefl  Senfe.  And  this  proves 
that  Men  don't  come  into  the  World  perfectly  innocent 
in  the  Sight  of  God,  and  without  anyjuft  Expofednefs  to 
his  Difpleafure.  For  the  being  by  Nature  in  a  loft  and 
ruin'd  State,  in  the  highefl  Senfe,is  not  confiflent  with  be- 
ing by  Nature  in  a  State  of  Favour  with  God. 

But  if  any  ihould  flill  infifl  on  a  Notion  of  Men's  good 
Deeds  exceeding  their  bad  ones,  and  that  feeing  the  good 
that  is  in  Men  more  than  countervails  the  Evil,  they 
Can't  be  properly  denominated  evil  ;  All  Perfons  and 
Things  being  moil  properly  denominated  from  that  which 
prevails,  and  has  the  Afcendant  in  them  :  I  would  fay 
further,    That 

I  prefume  it  will  be  allowed,  that  if  there  is  in  Man's 
Nature  a  Tendency  to  Guilt  and  Ul-Defert,  in  a  vafl 
Over-balance  toVirtue  8c  Merit ;  or  a  Propenfity  to  that 
Sin,  the  Evil  and  Demerit  of  which  is  fo  great,  that  the 
Value  and  Merit  that  is  in  him,  or  in  all  the  virtuous  A6is 
that  ever  he  performs,  are  as  Nothing  to  it  ;  then  truly 
the  Nature  of  Man  may  be  {aid  to  be  corrupt  and  evil. 

That  this  is  the  true  Gafe,may  be  demonflrated  by  what 
fs  evident  of  the  infinite  Heinoufnefs  of  Sin  againfl  God, 
from  the  Nature  of  things.  TheHeinoufnefs  of  this  mufl 
rife  in  fome  Proportion  to  the  Obligation  we  are  under  to 
regard  the  divine  Being  ;  and  that  mufl  be  in  fome  Pro- 
portion to  his  Worthinefs  of  Regard  ;  which  doubtlefs  is 
infinitely  beyond  the  Worthinefs  of  any  of  our  Fellow- 
Creatures.  But  the  Merit  of  our  Refpeft  or  Obedience 
to  God  is  not  infinite.  The  Merit  of  Refpe6l  to  any 
Being  don't  increafe,  but  is  rather  diminifh'd  in  Propor- 
tion to  the  Obligations  we  are  under  in  {tricl  Juftice  to  pay 
him  that  Refpecl,    There  is  no  great  Merit  in  paying  a 

Debt 


3<d     The  Sin  of  all  Men  infinitely     Part  I, 

Debt  weowe,and  by  the  higheft  pofTibleObligations  in  ftrict 
Juftice  are  obliged  to  pay  ;  but  there  is  great  Dement  in 
refuting  to  pay  it.  That  on  fuch Accounts  as  thofe  there 
is  an  infinite  Demerit  in  all  Sin  againft  God,  which  mufl 
therefore  immenfely  outweigh  all  the  Merit  which  can  be 
fuppofed  to  be  in  our  Virtue,  I  think,  is  capable  of  full 
Demonftration  ;  and  that  the  Futility  of  the  Objection, 
which  fome  have  made  againft  the  Argument,  might  moil 
plainly  be  demonftrated.  But  I  fhall  omit  a  particular 
Confideration  of  the  Evidence  of  this  Matter  from  the 
Nature  of  Things,  as  I  fludy  Brevity,  and  left  any  fhould 
cry  ovx,Metapbyficks  !  as  the  Manner  of  fome  is,  when 
any  Argument  is  handled,againft  anyTenet  they  are  fond 
of,  with  a  clofe  and  exact  Confideration  of  the  Nature  of 
Things.  And  this  is  not  fo  neceflary  in  the  prefent  Cafe, 
in  as  much  as  the  Point  afTerted,  namely,  that  he  who 
commits  any  one  Sin;has  Guilt  and  Ill-Defert  which  is  fo 
great,that  the  Value  and  Merit  of  all  theGood  which  it  is 
pofTible  he  fhould  do  in  his  whole  Life,  is  as  Nothing  to 
it  ;  I  fay,this  Point  is  not  only  evident  hy  Met  ap  by  ft  cks, 
but  is  plainly  demonftrated  by  what  has  been  fhewn  to 
be  FaEl,  with  refpect  to  God's  own  Constitutions  and 
Difpenfations  towards  Mankind  :  As  particularly  by  this, 
that  whatever  Acts  of  Virtue  and  Obedience  a  Man  per- 
forms, yet  if  he  trefpaffes  in  one  Point,  is  guilty  of  any 
the  leaft  Sin,  He,  according  to  the  Law  of  God,  and  fo 
according  to  the  exact  Truth  of  Things  and  the  proper 
Demerit  of  Sin,  is  expofed  to  be  wholly  caft  out  of  Fa- 
vour with  God,  and  fubjected  to  his  Curfe,  to  be  utterly 
and  eternally  deftroyed.  This  has  been  proved  ;  and 
iliewn  to  be  the  Doctrine  which  Dr.  eT.  abundantly  teaches. 
But  how  can  it  be  agreeable  to  the  Nature  of  Things,  and 
.exactly  confonant  to  everlafting  Truth  andRighteoufnefs, 
thus  to  deal  with  a  Creature  for  the  leaft  finful  Act,  tho? 
he  fhould  perform  ever  fo  many  Thoufands  of  honeft  and 
virtuous  Acts,  to  countervail  the  evil  of  that  Sin  ?  Or 
how  can  it  be  agreeable  to  the  exact  Truth  and  real 
Demerit  of  Things,  thus  wholly  to  caft  off  the  deficient 

Creature, 


Chap.  i.">        outweighs  their  Virtue.         *zi 

Sect. III.  5  ^  ° 

Creature,  without  any  Regard  to  the  Merit  of  all  his  good 
Deeds*  unlefs  that  be  in  Truth  the  Cafe,  that  the  Value 
and  Merit  of  all  thofe  good  Anions  bear  no  Proportion 
to  the  Heinoufnefs  of  the  lead  Sin  ?    If  it  were  not  fo,  one 
would  think,    that  however  the  offending  Perfon  might 
have  fome  proper  Punifhment,     yet  feeing   there  is  fo 
much  Virtue  to  lay  in  the  Balance  againfl  the  Guilt,   it 
would  be  agreeable  to  the  Nature  of  Things,    that   he 
fhould  find  fome  Favour,  and  not  be  altogether  rejected, 
and  made  the  Subject  of  perfect  and  eternal  Deftru&ion  ; 
and  thus  no  Account  at  all  be  made  of  all  his  Virtue,  fo 
much  as  to  procure  him  the  leaft  Relief  or  Hope.     How 
can  fuch  a  Conftitution  reprefentSin  in  its  proper  Colours, 
and  according  to  its  true  Nature  and  Defert   (as  Dr.T", 
fays  it  does)  unlefs  this  be  it's  true  Nature,  that  it  is  fo 
bad,that  even  in  the  leaft  Inftance  it  perfectly  fwallows  up 
all  the  Value  of  the  Sinner's  fuppofed  good  Deeds,    let 
'em  be  ever  fo  many.     So  that  this  Matter  is  not  left  to 
our  Metaphyficks,or  Philofophy ;  the  great  Lawgiver,and 
infallible  Judge  of  the  Univerfe,  has  clearly  decided  it, 
in  the  Revelation  he  has  made  of  what  is  agreeable  to  ex- 
acl:  Truth>  Juftice  and  the  Nature  of  Things,  in  his  re- 
vealed Law  or  Rule  of  Righteoufnefs. 

He  that  in  any  Refpecl:  or  Degree  is  aTranfgreflbur  of 
God's  Law,  is  a  wicked  Man,  yea, wholly  Wicked  in  the 
Eye  of  the  Law  ;  all  his  Goodnefs  being  efleemed  No- 
thing, having  no  Account  made  of  it, when  taken  together 
with  hisWickednefs.  And  therefore, without  any  regard  to 
his  Righteoufnefs,he  is,by  theSentence  of  theLaw,  and  fo 
by  the  Voice  of  Truth  arid  Juftice,  to  be  treated  as  wor- 
thy to  be  rejected,  abhor'd  and  curfed  forever ;  and  rnufr. 
be  fo,  unlefs  Grace  interpofes,  to  cover  his  Tranfgreffion. 
But  Men  are  really,in  Themfelves,  what  they  are  in  the 
Eye  of  theLaw,and  by  theVoice  of  ftri&Equity  &:  Juftice  ; 
however  they  may  be  looked  upon,  and  treated  by  infi- 
nite and  unmerited  Mercy. 

So  that,  on  the  whole,  it  appears,  all  Mankind  have 
an  infallibly  effectual  Jftopenfity  to  that  moral  Evil,which 

infinitely 


3  2        Sin  infinitely  outweighs  &c.    Part  I. 

infinitely  our- weighs  theValue  of  all  the  Good  that  can  he 
in  them  ;  and  have  fuch  a  Difpofition  of  Heart,  that  the 
certain  Confequence  of  it  is,  their  being,  in  the  Eye  of 
perfect  Truth  and  Righteoufnefs,  Wicked  Men.  And 
I  leave  all  to  judge,  whether  fuch  a  Difpofition  be  not  in 
the  Eye  of  Truth   a  depraved  Difpofition. 

Agreable  to  thefe  Things,  the  Scripture  reprefents  all 
Mankind,  not  only  as  having  Guilt,  but  immenfe  Guilt, 
which  they  can  have  no  Merit  or  Worthinefs  to  counter- 
Vail.  Such  is  the  Reprefentation  we  have  in  Matth. 
xviii.  21,  to  the  End.  There,  on  Peter's  enquiring  how 
often  his  Brother  Jhould  trefpafs  againjl  him  and  he  for- 
give him,  whether  until  f even  Times  f  Chrift  replies,  / 
fay  not  unto  thee,  until  feven  Times,  but  until  feventy 
Times  feven  ;  apparently  meaning,  that  he  fhouid  efteem 
no  Number  of  Offences  too  many,  and  no  Degree  of  In- 
jury it  is  poffible  our  Neighbour  mould  be  guilty  of 
towards  us,  too  great  to  be  forgiven.  For  which  this 
Reafon  is  given  in  the  Parable  there  following,  that  if 
ever  we  obtain  Forgivenefs  and  Favour  with  God,  He  muft 
pardon  that  Guilt  and  Injury  towards  his  Majelly,  which 
is  immenfely  greater  than  the  greatefl  Injuries  that  ever 
Men  are  guilty  one  towards  another,  yea,than  the  Sum  of 
all  their  Injuries  put  together  ;  let  'em  be  ever  fo  many, 
and  ever  fo  great  :  fo  that  the  latter  would  be  but  as 
an  hundred  Pence  to  ten  Thoufand  Talents  :  which 
immenfe  Debt  we  owe  to  God,  and  have  No- 
thing to  pay  ;  which  implies  that  we  have  no  Merit, 
to  countervail  any  Part  of  our  Guilt.  And  this  muft  be 
becaufe,  if  all  that  may  be  called  Virtue  in  us,  be  com- 
pared with  our  Ill-defert,it  is  in  the  Sight  of  God  as  No- 
thing to  it.  The  Parable  is  not  to  reprefent  Peter's  Cafe 
in  particular,but  that  of  all  who  then  were,or  everfhould 
be  Chrift's  Difciples.  It  appears  by  theConclufion  of  the 
Difcourfe  ;  So  likewife  fball  my  heavenly  Father  do,  if 
ye,  from  your  Hearts }  forgive  not  every  one  bis  Brother 
their  Trefpajfes, 

Therefore 


s^cTPiv'(*  dU  MenJiniftit/iediately&Q.   33 

Therefore  how  abfurd  mud  it  be  for  Chriftians  to  ob- 
je<fb,  againfl  the  Depravity  of  Man's -Nature,  a  greater 
Number  of  innocent  and  kind  Actions,  than  of  Crimes  j 
and  to  talk  of  a  prevailing  Innocency,  good  Nature,  Tn- 
duflry>and  Chearfulnefs  of  the  greater  Part  of  Mankind  ? 
Infinitely  more  abfurd,  than  it  would  be  to  infift,  that 
the  Domeflic  of  a  Prince  was  not  a  bad  Servant,  becaufe 
tho'  fometimes  he  contemned  and  affronted  his  Matter  to 
a  great  Degree,  yet  he  did  not  fpit  in  his  Mailer's  Face  fo 
often  as  he  performed  A£ls  of  Service  ;  Or,than  it  would 
be  to  affirm,  that  his  Spoufe  was  a  good  Wife  to  him,  be- 
caufe, altho'  fhe  committed  Adultery,  and  that  with 
the  Slaves  and  Scoundrels  fometimes,  yet  fhe  did  not  do 
this  fo  often  as  fhe  did  the  Duties  of  a  Wife.  Thefe 
Notions  would  be  abfurd, becaufe  theCrimes  are  too  heinous 
to  be  atoned  for,  by  many  honefl  AcYions  of  the  Servant 
or  Spoufe  of  the  Prince  j  there  being  a  vafl  Difproportion 
between  the  Merit  of  the  one,  and  the  Ill-defert  of  the 
other  :  but  in  no  Meafure  fo  great,  nay  infinitely  lefs  than 
that  between  the  Demerit  of  our  Offences  againfl  God, 
and  the  Value  of  our  A&s  of  Obedience. 

Thus  I  have  gone  through  with  my  firfl  Argument ; 
having  fhewn  the  Evidence  of  the  Truth  of  the  Propofi- 
tion  I  laid  down  at  firfl,  and  proved  it's  Confequence- 
But  there  are  many  ether  things,  that  manifefl  a  very 
corrupt  Tendency  or  Difpofition  in  Man's  Nature  in  his 
prefent  State,  which  I  fhall  take  Notice  of  in  the  follow- 
ing Seclions. 

Sect.    IV. 
The  Depravity  of  Nature  appears  by  a  Tropenfety 
in  all  to  fin  immediately,  asfoon  as  they  are  capa- 
ble of  it,  and  to  fin  continually  tf/z^progreffively ; 
andaljobythe  Remains  ofSininthebtft.  of  Men. 

THE  great  Depravity  of  Man's  Nature  appears,  not 
only  in  that  they  univerfally  commit  Sin,   who- 
fpeod  any  long  Time  in  the  World,  but  in  that  Men  are 

D  naturalW 


34       dll  Men  Jin  Immediately.      Part  I. 

naturally  fo  prone  to  Sin,  that  none  ever  fail  of  immedi- 
ately tranfgrefllng  God's  Law,  and  fo  of  bringing  infinite 
Guilt  on' themfelves,  and  expofing  themfelves  to  eternal 
Perdition,  as  foon  as  they  are  capable  of  it. 

The  Scriptures  are  fo  very  exprefs  in  it,  that  all  Man- 
kind^// Flejh,  all  theWorld, esizxy  Man  living,  are  guilty 
of  Sin ;  that    it  mult  at  leaft  be  underftood,    every  one 
that  is  come  to  be  capable  of  being  aftive/m  Duty  to  God, 
or  Sin  againft  him,is  guilty  of  Sin.     There  areMultitudes 
an  the  World,  who  have  but  very  lately  begun  to  exert 
their  Faculties,  as  moral  Agents  ;  and  fo"  are  but  juft  en- 
tred  on  their  State  of  Trial,    as   adYing   for'  themfelves. 
There  are  many  Thoufands  conftantly  in  the  World,who 
have  not  lived  one  Month,  or  Week,  or  Day,  fince  they 
have  arrived  to  any  Period  that  can  be  affigned  from  their 
Birth  to  Twenty  Years  of  Age.     And  if  there  be  not  a 
ftrong  Propenfity  in  Man's  Nature  to  Sin,  that  fhould  as  it 
were  hurry  them  on  to  fpeedyTranfgreflion,&  they  have  no 
Guilt  previous  to  their  perfonal  Sinning,  what  mould  hinder 
but  that  there  might  always  be  a  greater  Number  of  fuch 
as  aft  for  themfelves  on  the  Stage  of  theWorld,  and  are  an- 
fwerable  forthemfelves  toGod,whohave  hitherto  kept  them- 
felves free  from  Sin,  and  have  perfeftly  obeyedGod's  Law, 
and  fo  are  righteous  inGod'sSight  with  theRighteoufnefs  of 
theLaw;  and  if  they  fhould  be  called  out  of  theWorld  with- 
out any  longerTrial  (as  innumerable  die  at  all  Periods  of 
Life)  would  be  juftified  by  the  Deeds  of  the  Law  ?    And 
how  then  can  it  be  true,  that  in  God's  Sight  no  Man 
living  can  be  juftified,   that   no  Man  can  be  juft  with 
God,  and  that  by  the  Deeds  of  the  Law  no  Flejh  can  be 
juftified,  becaufe  by  the  Law  is  the  Know  lege  of  Sin  ? 
And  what  fhould  hinder   but  that  there  may  always  be 
many  in  theWorld,  who  are  capable  Subjects  of  Inftrufti- 
on  and  Counfel,  and  of  Prayer  toGod,  for  whom  theCalls 
of  God's  Word  to  Repentance,  and  to  feek  Pardon  thro* 
the  Blood  of  Chrift,  and  to  forgive  others  their  Injuries, 
becaufe  they  need  that  God  fhould  forgive  them,  would 
jiot  be  proper  j  and  for  whom  the  Lord's  Prayer  is  not 

fuitable, 


Chap.  1. 7       yjn  Men  fin  immediately,      i  c 

Sect. IV.  3  J  */  o  j 

fuitable,  wherein  Chrift  directs  all  his  Followers  to  pray, 
that  God  would  forgive  their  Sins,  as  they  forgive  thofe 
that  trefpafs  againfl  them  ? 

If  there  are  any  in  the  World,  though  but  lately  be- 
come capable  of  acting  for  themfelves,  as  Subjects  of  the 
Law  of  God,  who  are  perfectly  free  from  Sin,  fuch  are 
moft  likely  to  be  found  among  the  Children  of  Chriftian 
Parents,  who  give  'em  the  moft  pious  Education,  and  fet 
them  the  beft  Examples  :  And  therefore  fuch  would  ne- 
ver be  fo  likely  to  be  found  in  any  Part  or  Age  of  the 
World,  as  in  the  primitive  Chriftian  Church,  in  the  flrft 
Age  of  Chriftianity  (the  Age  of  the  Church's  greateft  Pu- 
rity) fo  long  after  Chriftianity  had  been  eftablifhed,  that 
there  had  been  Time  for  great  Numbers  of  Children  to 
be  born,  and  educated  by  thofe  primitive  Chriftians.  It 
was  in  that  Age,  and  in  fuch  a  Part  of  that  Age,  that  the 
Apoftle  John  wrote  his  firft  Epiftle  to  the  Chriftians  that 
then  were.  But  if  there  was  then  a  Number  of  them,, 
come  to  Underftanding,  who  were  perfectly  free  from 
Sin,  why  does  he  write  as  he  does?  i  Joh.  i.  8,9,  10. 
If  we  fay  that  we  have  noSin,  we  deceive  our  f elves  ^and 
the  Truth  is  not  in  us.  If  we  confefs  our  Sins,  he  is 
faithful  and  juft  to  forgive  us  our  Sins,  and  to  cleanfe  us 
from  allUnrighteoufnefs \  If  we  fay  that  we  have  not  fin- 
ned, we  make  him  a  Liar,  and  the  Truth  is  not  in  us.  \ 

D  2  Again, 


If  any  mould  object,that  this  is  an  overtraining  of  Things  ; 
and  that  it  fuppofes  a  greater  Nicenefs  and  Exactnefs,  than 
is  obferved  in  Scripture-Reprefentations  andExpreffions,  to 
infer  from  theie  Expreflions,  that  all  Men  fin  immediately, 
as  foon  as  ever  they  are  capable  of  it  :  To  this  I  would 
fay,  that  I  think  the  Arguments  ufed  are  truly  folid,  and 
do  really  and  juftly  conclude*  either  that  Men  are  bom 
guilty,  and  fo  are  chargeable  with  Sin  before  they  come  to 
act  for  themfelves,or  elfe  commit  Sin  immediately,  without 
the  leaftTirne  intermitting,after  they  are  capable  of  under- 
ftanding their  Obligations  to  God,  and  reflecting  on  them- 
felves j  and  that   the  Scripture  clearly  determines,  there 

is 


$&  Men  fin  continually.  Part  L 

Again,  the  Reality  and  Greatnefs  of  the  Depravity  of 
Man's  Nature  appears  in  this,  That  he  has  a  prevailing 
Propenflty  to  be  continually  finning  againft  God.  What 
has  been  obferved  above,  will  clearly  prove  this.  That 
fame  Difpofition  of  Nature, which  is  an  effectual  Propen- 
flty to  Immediate  Sin,  amounts  to  a  Propenfity  to  conti- 
nual Sin.  For  a  Being  prone  to  continual  finning  is  no- 
thing but  a  Pronenefs  to  immediate  Sin  continued.  Such 
appears  to  be  the  Tendency  of  Nature  to  Sin,  that  as  foon 
as  ever  Man  is  capable,  it  caufes  him  immediately  to  fin, 
without  fuffering  any  confiderableTime  to  pafs  withoutSin. 
And  therefore,  if  the  fame  Propenfky  be  continued  undi- 
miniih'd,  there  will  be  an  equal  Tendency  to  immediate 
finning  again,  without  any  confiderable-  Time  paffing. 
And  fo  the  fame  will  always  be. a  Difpofition  Hill  imme- 
diately to  fin,  with  as  little  Time  patting,  without  Sin  af- 
terwards, as  at  firft.  The  only  Reafon  that  can  be  given 
why  Sinning  mult  be  immediate  at  firft;is  that  the Difpo- 

iltion 


is  not  one  fuch  Perfon  in  the  World,  free  from  Sin.  But 
whither  this  be  a  (training  things  up  to  too  great  an  Exact - 
nefs,or  not ;  yet  I  fuppofe,  None  that  don't  entirely  fet  afide 
theSenfe  of  fuch  Scriptures  as  have  been  mentioned,  and 
deny  thofe  Proportions  which  Dr.  T  himfelf  allows  to  be 
contain'd  in  fome  of  'em,  will  deny  they  prove,  that 
no  confiderable  Time  paffes  after  Men  are  capable  of  acting 
£ox  themfelves,  as  the  Subjects  of  God's  Law,  before  they 
are  guilty  of  Sin;'  becaufe  if  the  Time  were  confiderable,  it 
would  be  great  enough  to  deferve  to  be  taken  Notice  of,  as 
an  Exception  to  fuch  univerfal  Proportions,  as,  In  thy  Sight 
fi)oll  no  Man  living  be  juftified,  &c.  And  if  this  be  allowed, 
that  Men  are  fo  prone  to  Sin,that  inFactall  Mankind  do  fin, 
fisit  ?mv,immediately, after  they  come  to  be  capable  of  it,or 
fail  not  to  fin  fo  foon,  that  no  confiderable  Time  paffts  before 
'they  run  into  Tranfgremon  againft  God  ;  It  don't  much 
alter  the  Cafe,  as  to  the  prefent  Argument.  If  the  Time 
of  Freedom  from  Sin  be  fo  fmall,  as  not  to  be  worthy  of 
Notice  in  the  forementioned  univerfal  Proportions  of  Scrip- 
ture, it  is  alfo  fo  fmail5as  not  to  be  worthy  of  Notice  in  ths 
prefent  Argument. 


Chap.  i.  2         Men  fin  increanngly.  77 

Sect.iv.^  J  j   &*/  0/ 

fition  is  fo  great,  that  it  will  not   differ  any  confiderabie 
Time -to  pafs  without  Sin  :    and  therefore,  the  fame  Dif- 
pofition being  continued  in  equal  Degree,  without  fome 
new  Reftraint,  or  contrary  Tendency,  it  will  (till  equally 
tend  to  the  fame  Effect.     And  tho'it  is   true,    the  Pro- 
penfity  may  be  diminifhed,  or  have  Reftraints  laid  upon 
it,  by  gracious  Difpofals  of  Providence,  or  merciful  In- 
fluences of  God's  Spirit  ;  yet  this  is  not  owing  to  Nature. 
That  ftrong  Propenfity  of  Nature,  by  which  Men  are  fo 
prone  to  immediate  Sinning  at  firfl,  has  no  Tendency  in 
it  felf  to  a  Diminution  ;  but  rather  to  an  Increafe ;  as  the 
continued   Exercife   of  an  evil  Difpofition,  in  repeated 
actual  Sins,  tends  to  ftrengthen  it  more  &  more  :    agreea- 
ble to  that  Obfervation  of  Dr.  T—r\,  p.  228.  "  We 
•*'  are  apt  to  be  drawn  into  Sin  by  bodily  Appetites,    and 
€i  when  once  we  are  under  the  Government  of  thefe  Ap- 
V  petites,  it  is  at  leaft  exceeding  difficult,  if  not  impracti- 
**  cable,  to  recover  our  felves,  by  the   meer  Force  of 
"^  Reafon."     The  Increafe  of  Strength  of  Difpofition  in 
fuch  a  Cafe,  is  as  in  a  falling  Body,  the  Strength  of  it's 
Tendency  to  defcend  is  continually  increafed,  fo  long  as 
k's  Motion  is  continued.     Not  only  a  conftant  Commiffi- 
on  of  Sin,  but  a  .conflantlncreafe  in  the  Habits  ^Practice 
of  Wickednefs,  is  the  true  Tendency  of  Man's  depraved 
Nature,    if  unreftrained  by  divine  'Grace  ;    as  the  true 
'Tendency  of  the  Nature  of  an  heavy  Body,  if  Obftacles 
are  removed,  is  not  only  to  fall  with  a  continual  Motion, 
but  with  a  conftantly  increafing  Motion.     And  we  fee, 
that  increafing  Iniquity  is  actually  the  Confequence  of 
natural  Depravity,  in  moft  Men,  notwithflanding  all  the 
Reftraints  they  have.     Difpofitions  to  Evil  are  commonly 
much  flronger  in  adult  Perfons,  than  in  Children,  when 
they  fM  begin  to  act  in  the  World  as  rational  Creatures. 

If  Sin  be  fuch  a  Thing  as  Dr.  T.  himfelf  reprefents 
it,  P.  6o.  "  A  Thing  of  an  odious  and  destructive 
■"  Nature,  the  Corruption  and  Ruin  of  our  Nature,  and 
"  infinitely  hateful  to  God  ;"  then  fuch  a  Pronenfity 
-to  continual  and  increafing  Sin,  mult  be  a  very  evil  Difc 

t>  3  pofiticn, 


3  8  Sin  in  the  befi.  Part  I. 

pofition.  And  if  we  may  judge  of  the  Pernicioufnefs  of 
an  Inclination  of  Nature,  by  the  Evil  of  the  Effect  it 
naturally  tends  to,  the  Propenfity  of  Man's  Nature  mull 
be  evil  indeed  :  For  the  Soul  being  immortal,  as  Dr.  T. 
acknowleges,  P.  370.  it  will  follow  from  what  has  been 
obferved  above,  that  Man  has  a  natural  Difpofition  to  one 
of  thefe  two  Things ;  either  to  an  Increafe  of  Wicked- 
nefs  without  End,  or  'till  Wickednefs  comes  to  be  fo 
great,  that  the  Capacity  of  his  Nature  will  not  allow  it 
to  be  greater.  This  being  what  his  Wickednefs  will  come 
to  by  it's  natural  Tendency,  if  divine  Grace  don't  pre- 
vent, it  may  as  truly  be  faid  to  be  theEffecl:  whichMan's 
NaturalCorruption  tends  to,  as  that  anAcorn  in  a  proper 
Soil  truly  tends  by  it's  Nature  to  become  a  great  Tree. 

Again,  That  Sin  which  is  remaining  in  the  Hearts  of 
the  be  ft  Men  on  Earth,  makes  it  evident,  that  Man's  Na- 
ture is  corrupt,  as  he  comes  into  the  World.  A  remain- 
ing Depravity  of  Heart  in  the  greatefl  Saints,  may  be  ar- 
gued from  the  Sins  of  mod  of  thofe  who  are  fet  forth  in 
Scripture  as  the  moil  eminent  Inftances  and  Examples  of 
Virtue  and  Piety  :  And  is  alfo  manifeft  from  this,  That 
the  Scripture  reprefents  all  God's  Children  as  (landing  in 
Need  of  Chaitifement.  Heb.  xii.  6,  7,  8.  For  whom  the 
Lord  loveth,  he  chafteneth  ;  and  fcourgeth  every  Son 
ivhom  he  receiveth. — What  Son  is  he,  zuhom  theFather 
chajlneth  not  f —  If' ye  are  withoutChaftifernent y — then 
are  ye  Baftards,  and  not  Sons.  But  this  is  directly  and 
fully  aflerted  in  fome  Places  ;  as  in  that  foremention'd 
Ecclef.  vii.  20.  There  is  not  a  juftMan  uponEarth,that 
doeth  Good  and  finneth  not.  Which  is  as  much  as  to  fay, 
There  is  no  Man  on  Earth,that  is  fo  juft,as  to  have  attain'd. 
to  fuch  a  Degree  of  Righteoufnefs,  as  not  to  commit  any 
Sin.  Yea,  the  Apoflle  fpeak*  of  all  Chriftians  as  often 
finning,  or  committing  many  Sins  ;  even  in  that  primitive 
Age  of  the  Chriftian  Church,  an  Age  diftinguifhed  from 
all  others  by  eminent  Attainments  in  Holinefs  ;  Jam.iii.s. 
In  many  Things  we  all  offend.  And  that  there  is  Pollu- 
tion in  the  Hearts  of  all,  as  the  Remainder  of  moral  Filth 

that 


Chap.  1. 2         More  Sin.  than  Virtue.        so 

Sect.  V.5  **' 

that  was  there  antecedent  to  all  Attempts  orMeans  forPu- 
rification,  is  very  plainly  declared  in  Prov.  xx.  9.  Who 
can  fay,  I  have  made  my  Heart  clean ,  I  am  pure  from 
my  Sin  ? 

According  to  Dr.  T.  Men  come  into  the  World  wholly 
free  from  finful  Propenfities.  And  if  fo,  it  appears  from 
what  has  been  already  faid,  there  would  be  Nothing  to 
hinder,  but  that  many,  without  being  better  than  they  arc 
by  Nature,  might  perfectly  avoid  the  Commidion  of  Sin* 
But  much  more  might  this  be  the  Cafe  with  Men  after  they 
had,  by  Care,Diligence  and  good  Practice,  attained  thofe 
pofitiveHabits  of  Virtue,whereby  they  are  at  a  much  great- 
er Diftance  from  Sin,  than  they  were  naturally  : — which 
thisWriter  fuppofes  to  be  the  Cafe  with  many  good  Men. 
But  fince  the  Scripture  teaches  us,  that  the  bed  Men 
in  the  World  do  often  commit  Sin,  and  have  remaining 
Pollution  of  Heart,  this  makes  it  abundantly  evident,  that 
Men,  when  they  are  no  otherwife  than  they  were  by  Na- 
ture, without  any  of  thofe  virtuous  Attainments,  have  a 
finful  Depravity;  yea,  muft  have  greatCorruption  of  Na- 
ture. 


Sect.     V. 

The  Depravity  of  Nature  appears,  in  that  the  gene- 
ralConfequenceoftheState  ^/Tendency  of  Mans 
Nature  is  a  much  greater  Degree  of  Sin,  than 
Righteoufnefs  ;  not  only  with  refpetl  to  Value  and 
Demerit,  but  Matter  and  Quantity. 

IHave  before  fhewn,  that  there  is  a  Propenfity  in 
Man's  Nature  to  that  Sin,  which  in  Heinoufnefs  and 
Ill-defert  immenfely  outweighs  all  the  Value  and  Merit 
of  any  fuppofed  Good,  that  may  be  in  him,  or  that  he 
can  do.  I  now  proceed  to  fay  further,  that  fuch  is 
Man's  Nature,  in  his  prefent  State,  that  it  tends  to  this 
lamentable  Effeft,  That  there  fhould  at  all  Times,  thro* 

D  4  the 


40  All  hdve  more  Sin  Part  I. 

the  Courfe  of  his  Life,  be  at  lead,  much  more  Sin,  than 
Righteoufnefs  ;  not  only  as  to  Weight  and  Value ,  but  as 
to  Matter  and  Meafure  ;  more  Difagreement  of  Heart 
and  Practice  from  the  Law  of  God,  and  from  the  Law  of 
Nature  and  Reafon,  than  Agreement  and  Conformity. 

The  Law  of  God  is  the  Rule  of  PJgbt,as  Dr.  Tf,  often 
calls  it :  h  is  the  Meafure  of  Virtue  and  Sin  :  So  much 
Agreement  as  there  is  with  this  Rule,  fo  much  is  thereof 
Rectitude,  Righteoufnefs,  or  true  Virtue,  and  no  more  ;, 
and  fo  much  Difagreement  as  there  is  with  this  Rule,  fo 
much  Sin  is  there. 

Having  prernifed  this,  the  following  Things  may  be 
here  obferved, 

I.  The  Degree  of  Difagreement  from  this  Rule  of 
Right  is.  to  be  determined,  not  only  by  the  Degree  of 
Diftance  from  it  inExcefs,but.  alfc  inDcfecl  ;  or  in  other 
"Words,  not  only  in  pofitive  Tranfgreilion,  or  doing  what 
5s  forbidden,  but  alfb  in  witholding  what  is  required.  The 
divine  Lawgiver  does  as  much  prohibit  the  one  as  the  other, 
?.nd  does  as  much  charge  the  latter  as  a  finful  Breach  of 
his  Law,  expofmg  to  his  eternal  Wrath  and  Curfe,  as  the 
former.  Thus  at  the  Day  of  Judgment,  as  defcribed 
Matth.  xxv.  The  Wicked  are  condemned,  as  curfe d,  to 
everlafting  Fire,  for  their  Sin  in  Defect  and  Omiilion :  / 
was  an  hungred,  and  ye  gave  me  rw  Meat  fez.  And  the 
Cafe  is  thus,  not  only  when  the  Defecl:  is  in  Word  or 
Behaviour,  but  in  the  inward  Temper  and  Exercife  of 
the  Mind,  i  Cor.xvi.22.  If  any  Man  love  not  the  Lord 
*Jefus  Chrift,  let  him  be  Anathema  Maranatha,  Dr.  jf. 
Ipeaking  of  the  Sentence  and  Punlfhment  of  the  Wicked 
(Matth.xxY.41, 46.)  fays,  "It  was  manifeftly  forWANT 
f*  of  Benevolence,  Love  and  Companion  to  their  Fellow* 
f;  Creatures,  that  they  were  condemned."  And  elfe- 
where,  as  was  obferved  before,  he  fays,  that  the  Law  of 
God  extends  to  the  LaUntPrinciples  p£  $\\\\.o  forbid  them, 
and  to  condemn  to  eternal  DeftrucY  a  for  them.  And 
if  fo,  it  doubtlefs  alfo  extends  to  the  inward  Principles  of 
Holinefs,to  require  them,  and  in  like  manner  to  condemn 
the  Want  of  them,  II,  The 


Chap  I.  >  t})an  Right  eouf?iefs.  41 

II.  1  he  Sum  of  our  Duty  to  God,  required  in  his 
Law,  is  Love  to  God  ;  taking  Love  in  a  large  Senfe,  for 
the  true  Regard  of  our  Hearts  to  God,  implying  Efleem, 
Honour,  Benevolence,  Gratitude,  Complacence  &c. 
This  is  not  only  very  plain  by  the  Scripture,  but  it  is  e- 
vident  in  it  felf.  The  Sum  of  what  the  Law  of  God  re- 
quires, is  doubtlefs  Obedience  to  that  Law :  No  Law  can 
require  more  than  that  it  be  obeyed.  But  'tis  manifeft, 
that  Obedience  to  God  is  Nothing,  any  otherwife  than  as 
a  Teftimony  of  the  Refpedt  of  our  Hearts  to  God  :  With- 
out the  Heart,  Man's  external  Acts  are  no  more  than  the 
Motions  of  the  Limbs  of  a  wooden  Image;  have  no  more 
of  the  Nature  of  either  Sin  or  Righteoufnefs.  It  mud 
therefore  needs  be  fb,  that  Love  to  God,  or  the  Refpecl: 
of  the  Heart,  muft  be  the  Sum  of  the  Duty  required  to- 
wards God.  in  his  Law. 

III.  It  therefore  appears  from  the  Premifes,  that  who- 
foever  withholds  more  of  that  Love  or  Refpecl:  of  Heart 
from  God  which  his  Law  requires,  than  he  affords,  has 
more  Sin,  than  Right  ^cufnefs.  Not  only  he  that  has  lefs 
divine  Love,  than  Paffions  &  Affections  which  are  oppoflte; 
but  alio  be  that  dont  love  God  half  fa  much  as  he  ought, 
or  has  Reafon  to  dox  hasjuftly  more  Wrong,  than  Right, 
imputed  to  him,  according  to  the  Law  of  Cod,  and  the 
Law  of  Reafcn  ;  he  has  more  Irregularity,  than  Recti- 
tude, with  Regard  to  the  Law  of  Love.  The  finful  Dif- 
refpect  or  Unrefpectfulnefs  of  his  Heart  to  God,  is 
greater  than  his  Refpect  to  him. 

But  what  confidents  Perfon  is  there,  even  among  the 
more  virtuous  Part  of  Mankind,  but  what  would  be  a- 
lhamed  to  fay,  and  profefs  before  God  or  Men,  that  he 
loves  God  half  10  much  as  he  ought  to  do  ;  or  that  he 
exercifes  one  half  cf  that  Efteern,  Honour  and  Gratitude 
towards  God,which  would  be  altogether  becoming  Him  ; 
conlidering  what  Go\  is,  and  what  great  Manifestations 
he  has  made  of  his  tranfcendent  Excellency  and  Good^ 
nefs,  and  what  Benefits  he  receives  from  him  ?  And  if 
tew  or  none  of  the  beft  of  Men  can  with  Reafon  and 

Truth 


42  All  have  more  Smy  Part  I, 

Truth  make  even  fuch  a  ProfefTion,how  far  from  it  muft 
the  Generality  of  Mankind  be  P 

The  chief  and  moll  fundamental  of  all  the  Commands 
of  the  moral  Law,  requires  us,  to  love  theLord  ourGod, 
.with  all  our  Hearts, and  with  all  our  Souls, with  all  our 
Strength,  and  all  our  Mind  :  that  is  plainly,  with  all 
that  is  within  us,  or  to  the  utmoft  Capacity  of  our  Na- 
ture :  all  that  belongs  to,  or  is  comprehended  within  the 
utmoft  Extent  or  Capacity  of  our  Heart  and  Soul,  and 
Mind  and  Strength,  is  required.  God  is  in  Himfelf  wor- 
thy of  infinitely  greater  Love,  than  anyCreature  can  ex- 
ercife  towards  him  :  He  is  worthy  of  Love  equal  to  his 
Perfections,  which  are  infinite  :  God  loves  Himfelf  with 
no  greater  Love  than  he  is  worthy  of,  when  he  loves  him- 
felf infinitely  :  But  we  can  give  God  no  more  than  we 
have.  Therefore,  if  we  give  him  fo  much,  if  we  love 
him  to  the  utmoft  Extent  of  the  Faculties  of  our  Nature, 
we  are  excufed  :  But  when  what  is  propo'ed,  is  only  that 
we  fhould  love  him  as  much  as  our  Capacity  will  allow, 
this  Excufe  of  Want  of  Capacity  ceafes,  and  Obligation 
takes  hold  of  us  ;  and  we  are  doubtlefs  obliged  to  love 
God  to  the  utmoft  of  what  is  poffibie  for  us,  with  fuch 
Faculties,  and  fuch  Opportunities  andAdvantages  to  know 
God,as  we  have.  And  'tis  evidently  implied  in  this  great 
Commandment  of  the  Law,  that  our  Love  to  God  fhould 
be  fo  great,  as  to  have  the  moft  abfblute  PofTeflion  of  all 
the  Soul,  and  the  perfect  Government  of  all  the  Princi- 
ples and  Springs  of  Action  that  are  in  our  Nature. 

Tho'  it  is  not  eafy,  precifely  to  fix  theLimits  of  Man's 
Capacity,  as  to  Love  to  God  ;  yet  in  general  we  may 
determine,  that  his  Capacity  of  Love  is  coextended  with 
his  Capacity  of  Knowledge  :  The  Exercife  of  the  Un~ 
derftanding  opens  the  Way  for  the  Exercife  of  the  other 
Faculty.  Now,  tho'  we  can't  have  any  proper  pofitive 
Underftanding  of  God's  infinite  Excellency  ;  yet  the  Ca- 
pacity of  the  human  Underftanding  is  very  great,  and 
may  be  extended  f  jr.  'Tis  needlefs  to  difpute,  how  far 
Man's  Knowledge  may  be  faid  to  be  ftri&ly  comprehenflve 

of 


seHct"'v.1         than  Righteoufnefs-  43 

of  Things  that  are  very  great,  as  of  the  Extent  of  the 
Expanfe  of  the  Heavens,  or  of  the  Dimenfions  of  the 
Globe  of  the  Earth  ;  and  of  fuch  a  great  Number,  as  of 
the  manyMillions  of  it's  Inhabitants.  The  Word,  Com- 
prehenfive,feems  to  be  ambiguous.  But  doubtlefs  we  are 
capable  of  fome  proper  pofitive  Underflanding  of  the 
Greatnefs  of  thefe  Things,  inComparifon  of  otherThings 
that  we  know,  as  unfpeakably  exceeding  them.  We  are 
capable  of  fome  clear  Underflanding  of  the  Greatnefs 
or  Confiderablenefs  of  a  whole  Nation,  or  of  the  whole 
World  of  Mankind,  as  vaflly  exceeding  that  of  a  parti- 
cular Perfon  or  Family.  We  can  pofitively  underftand, 
that  the  whole  Globe  of  the  Earth  is  vaflly  greater,  than 
a  particular  Hill  or  Mountain.  And  can  have  fome  good 
pofitive  Apprehenfion  of  the  flarry  Heavens,  as  fo  great- 
ly exceeding  the  Globe  of  the  Earth,  that  the  latter  is 
as  it  were  Nothing  to  it.  So  the  human  Faculties  are 
capable  of  a  real  and  clear  Underflanding  of  the  Great- 
nefs, Glory  and  Gooclnefs  of  God,  &  of  our  Dependence 
upon  him,  from  the  Manifeflations  which  God  has  made 
of  himfelf  to  Mankind,  as  being  beyond  all  Expreffion 
above  that  of  the  mod  excellent  human  Friend,  or  earth- 
ly Object.  And  fo  we  are  capable  of  an  Efleem  and 
Love  toGod,  which  fhall  be  proportionable,  and  as  much 
exceeding  that 'which  we  have  to  any  Creature. 

Thefe  things  may  help  us  to  form  fome  Judgment,  how 
vaflly  the  Generality  of  Mankind  fall  below  their  Duty, 
with  refpeel:  toLove  to  God  ;  yea,  how  far  they  are  from 
coming  half-way  to  that  Height  of  Love,  which  is  agre- 
able  to  the  Rule  of  Right.  Surely  if  our  Efleem  of 
God,  Defires  after  him,  and  Delight  in  him  were  fuch  as 
become  us,  confidering  the  Things  foremention'd,  they 
would  exceed  our  Regard  to  other  Things,  as  the  Hea- 
vens are  high  above  the  Earth,  and  would  fwallow  up  all 
other  AfFecYions,  like  a  Deluge.  But  how  far,  how  ex- 
ceeding far,  are  theGenerality  of  the  World  from  anyAp- 
fearance  of  being  influenced  and  governed  by  fuch  a 
)egree  of  divine  Love  as  this ! 

If 


44  More  Corruption^  Par.L 

If  we  consider  the  Love  of  God  with  refpeft  to  that 
one  Kind  of  hxercife  of  it',  namely,  Gratitude,  how  far 
indeed  do  the  Generality  of  Mankind  come  fhort  of  the 
Rule  of  Right  and  Reafon  in  this  1  If  we  confider  how 
various,  innumerable  and  vaft  the  Benefits  are  we  receive 
from  God,  and  how  infinitely  great  and  wonderful  that 
Grace  of  his  is,  which  is  revealed  and  offered  to  them 
that  live  under  the  Gofpel,  in  that  eternal  Salvation  which 
is  procured  by  God's  giving  his  only  begotten  Son  to  die 
for  Sinners ;  and  alfo  how  unworthy  we  are  all,  deferving 
(as  Dr.  T.  confefTes)  eternal  Perdition  under  God's  Wrath 
and  Curfe  :  how  great  is  the  Gratitude,  that  would  be- 
come us,  who  are  the  Subjects  of  fo  many  and  great  Be- 
nefits, and  have  fuch  Grace  towards  poor  finful  loft  Man- 
kind fet  before  us  in  fo  affecting  a  Manner,  as  in  the  ex- 
treme Sufferings  of  the  Son  of  God,  being  carried  thro' 
thofe  Pains  by  a  Love  flronger  than  Death,  a  Love  that 
conquered  thofe  mighty  Agonies,  a  Love  whofe  Length 
and  breadth  and  Depth  and  Height  paffes  Knowledge  ? 
But  oh,  what  poor  Returns— !  How  little  the  Gra- 
titude !  How  low,howcold  and  inconitanttheAffecYion  in 
the  beft,  compared  with  the  Obligation  !  And  what  then 
fliall  be  faid  of  the  Gratitude  of  the  Generality  ?  Or 
rather,  who  can  exprefs  the  Ingratitude  ? 

If  it  were  fo,  that  the  greater  Part  of  them  that  are 
called  Chriftians,  were  no  Enemies  to  Chrift  in  Heart  and 
Practice,  were  not  governed  by  Principles  oppofite  to  him 
and  his  Gofpel,  but  had  fome  real  Love  and  Gratitude ; 
yet  if  their  Love  falls  vaflly  fhort  of  the  Obligation  or 
Occafion  given,  they  are  guilty  of  fhameful  and  odious 
Ingratitude.  As,  when  a  Man  has  been  the  Subject  of 
fome  Inftance  of  tranfeendent  Generofity,  whereby  he 
has  been  reliev'd  from  the  moil:  extreme  Calamity,  and 
brought  into  very  opulent,  honourable  and  happy  Cir- 
cumltances,  by  a  Benefaclor,of  excellent  Character  ;  and 
yet  expreffes  no  more  Gratitude  on  fuch  an  Occafion,than 
would  be  requifite  for  fome  Kindnefs  comparatively  in- 
finitely fmall,  he  may  juftly  fall  under  the  Imputation  of 

vile 


^HAP'v'V       *^an  Right eotifnefs,  in  all.    45 

vile  Unthankfnlnefs,and  of  much  more  Ingratitude,  than 
Gratitude  ;  tho'  he  may  have  no  Hi- Will  to  his  Bene- 
factor, or  no  pofitive  Affection  of  Mind  contrary  to 
Thankfulnefs  and  Benevolence  :  What  is  odious  in  him 
is  his 'Defect,  whereby  he  falls  fo  vaftly  below  his  Duty. 

'Dr.Tu'rnbuU  abundantly  infills,  that  the  Forces  of  the 
Affections  naturally  in  Man  are  well  proportioned ;  and 
often  puts  a  Queftion  to  this  Purpofe, — How  Man's  Na- 
ture could  have  been  better  conftituted  in  this  refpect  ? 
How  the  Affections  of  his  Heart  could  have  been  better 
proportioned  ? —  I  will  now  mention  one  Inftance,  out  of 
many  that  might  be  mentioned.  Man,if  his  Heart  were  not 
depraved,  might  have  had  a  Difpofition  to  Gratitude  to 
God  for  his  Loodnefs,  in  Proportion  to  his  Difpofition  to 
•Anger  towards  Men  for  their  Injuries.  When  I  fay, 
in  Proportion,  I  mean  confidering  the  Greatnefs  and  Num- 
ber of  Favours  and  Injuries,  and  the  Degree  in  which  the 
one  and  the  other  are  unmerited,  and  the  Benefit  received 
by  the  former,  and  the  Damage  fuftained  by  the  latter. 
Is  there  not  an  apparent  and  vaft  Difference  and  Inequa- 
lity in  the  Difpofitions  to  thefe  two  Kinds  of  Affection,  in 
the  Generality  of  both  old  and  young,  adult  Perfons  and 
little  Children  ?  How  ready  is  Refentment  for  Injuries 
received  from  Men  ?  and  how  eafily  is  it  raifed  in  molt, 
at  belt,  to  an  Equality  with  the  Defert  ?  And  is  it  fo 
with  refpect  to  Gratitude  for  Benefits  received  from  God> 
in  any  Degree  of  Comparifon  ?.  Dr.  T'urnbull  pleads  for 
the  natural  Difpofition  to  Anger  for  Injuries,  as  being  good 
and  ufeful  :  But  furely  Gratitude  to  God,  if  we  were 
inclined  to  it,  would  be  at  lead  as  good  and  ufeful  as 
the  other. 

How  far  the  Generality  of  Mankind  are  from  their 
Duty  with  refpect  to  Love  to  God,will  further  appear,  if 
we  confider,that  we  are  obliged  not  only  to  love  him  with 
a  Love  of  Gratitude  for  Benefits  received  ;  but  true  Love 
to  God  primarily  confifls  in  a  fupremc  Regard  to  him  for 
what  he  is  in  himfeif.  The  Tendency  of  true  Virtue  is 
to  treat  every  thing  as  it  is,  and  according  to  it's  Nature, 

'  And 


46  More  Corruption,  Part  I. 

And  if  we  regard  the  mofl  High  according  to  the  infinite 
Dignity  and  Glory  of  his  Nature,  we  ihall  efteem  and 
love  him  with  all  our  Heart  and  Soul,  and  to  the  utrnofl 
of  the  Capacity  of  our  Nature,  on  this  Account  ;  and  not 
primarily  bccaufe  he  has  promoted  ourlntereff.  If  God 
be  infinitely  excellent  in  Himfelf,  then  He  is  infinitely 
lovely  on  that  Account  ;  or  in  other  Words,  infinitely 
worthy  to  be  loved.  And  doubtlefs,  if  he  be  worthy  to 
be  loved  for  this,  then  he  ought  to  be  loved  for  this.  And 
'tis  manifeft,  there  can  be  no  true  Love  toHim,  if  he  be 
not  loved  for  what  he  is  in  himfelf.  For  if  we  love  him 
not  for  his  own  Sake,  but  for  fomething  elfe,  then  our 
Love  is  not  terminated  on  him,  but  on  fomething  elfe,  as 
it's  ultimate  Object.  That  is  no  true  Value  for  infinite 
Worth,which  implies  no  Value  for  thatWorthinefs  in  itfelf 
confidered,  but  only  on  the  Account  of  fomething  foreign. 
Our  Efteem  of  God  is  fundamentally  defective,  if  it  be 
not  primarily  for  the  Excellency  of  his  N  ature,  which  is 
the  Foundation  of  all  that  is  valuable  in  him  in  any  Re- 
flect. If  we  love  not  God  becaufe  he  is  what  he  is,  but 
only  becaufe  he  is  profitable  to  us,  in  Truth  we  love 
him  not  at  all  :  If  we  feem  to  love  him,  our  Love  is 
not  to  him,  but  to  fomething  elfe. 

And  now  I  muft  leave  it  to  every  one  to  judge  for 
himfelf,  from  his  own  Opportunities  of  Obfervation 
and  Information  concerning  Mankind,  how  little 
there  is  of  this  difinterefted  Love  to  God,  this  pure 
divine  Affection,  in  the  World.  How  very  little  indeed 
in  Comparifon  of  other  Affections  altogether  diverfe, 
which  perpetually  urge,  actuate  and  govern  Mankind, and 
keep  the  World,  through  all  Nations  and  Ages,  in  a  con- 
tinual Agitation  and  Commotion  !  This  is  an  Evidence  of 
an  horridContempt  of  God,reigning  in  theWoHd  of  Man- 
kind. It  would  be  juftly  efleemed  a  great  Inftance  of 
Difrefpect  and  Contempt  of  a  Prince,  if  one  of  his  Sub~ 
jects,  when  he  came  in  to  his  Houfe.fnould  fet  him  below 
his  meaneft  Slave.  But  in  fetting  the  infinite  JEHO- 
VAH below  earthly  Objects  and  Enjoyments,  Men  de- 
grade 


&$$]     than  Righteoufmfs>  in  al1*     47 

grade  him  below  thofe  Things,  between  which  and  him 
there  is  an  infinitely  greater  Diftance,  than  between  the 
higheft  earthly  Potentate  and  the  mofl  abjecl:  of  Mortals. 
Such  a  Conduct,  as  the  Generality  of  Men  are  guilty  of 
towards  God,  continually  and  thro'  all  Ages,  in  innume- 
rableRefpe&s, would  be  accounted  the  moft  vile  contemp- 
tuousTreatment  of  aFellow-Creature,  of  diftinguifh'dDig- 
nity.  ParticularlyMen's  Treatment  of  theOrTersGod  makes 
of  Himfelf  to  them  as  their  Friend,  theirFather,theirGod 
and  everlafling  Portion  ;  their  Treatment  of  the  Exhibi- 
tions he  has  made  of  his  unmeafurable  Love,  and  the 
boundlefs  Riches  of  his  Grace  in  Chrift,  attended  with 
carneft  repeated  Calls,  Counfels,  Expostulations,  and  In- 
treaties  ;  as  alfo  of  the  mofl  dreadful  Threatnings  of  his 
eternal  Difpleafure  and  Vengeance. 

Before  I  finifli  this  Seflion,  it  may  be  proper  to  fay 
fomething  in  Reply  to  an  Objection,  which  fome  may  be 
ready  tolmake  againft  the  Force  of  that  Argument,  which 
has  been  ufed  to  prove,  that  Men  in  general  have  more 
Sin  than  Righteoufnefs,  namely,  That  they  don't  come 
half  way  to  that  Degree  of  Love  toGod,  which  becomes 
them,  and  is  their  Duty. 

The  Objection  is  this  :  That  the  Argument  feems  to 
prove  too  much,  in  that  it  will  prove,  that  even  good 
Men  themfelves  have  more  Sin  than  Holinefs ;  which 
alfb  has  been  fuppofed.  But  if  this  were  true,  it  would 
follow,  that  Sin  is  the  prevalent  Principle  even  in  good 
Men,  and  that  it  is  the  Principle  which  has  the  Predo- 
minancy in  the  Heart  and  Practice  of  the  truly  pious  \ 
which  is  plainly  contrary  to  the  Word  of  God. 

I  anfwer ;  If  it  be  indeed  fo,  that  there  is  more  Sin, 
confiding  in  Defect  of  required  Holinefs,  than  there  is 
of  Holinefs  in  good  Men  in  this  World  ;  yet  it  will  not 
follow,  that  Sin  has  the  chief  Government  of  their  Heart 
and  Practice  ;  for  two  Reafons. 

I.  They  may  love  God  more  than  other  Things,  and 
yet  there  may  not  be  fo  much  Love,  as  there  is  Want  of 
due  Love  j  or  in  other  Words,  they  may  love  God  more 

than 


48         More  Sin,  than  Virtue.       Part  I. 

than  the  World,  and  therefore  the  Love  of  God  may  be 
predominant,and  yet  may  not  love  God  near  half  fo  much 
as  they  ought  to  do.  This  need  not  be  efleemcd  a  Para- 
dox :  A  Perfon  may  love  a  Father,  or  fome  great  Friend 
and  Benefactor,  of  a  very  excellent  Character,  more  than 
fome  other  Object,  a  thoufand  Times  lefs  worthy  of  his 
Efteem  and  Affection,  and  yet  love  him  ten  Times  lefs 
than  he  ought  ;  and  fo  be  chargeable,  all  Things  confi- 
dered,  with  a  Deficiency  in  Refpect  and  Gratitude,  that  is 
very  unbecoming  and  hateful.  If  Love  to  God  prevails 
above  the  Love  of  other  Things,  then  Virtue  will  prevail 
above  evil  Affections,  or  pofitive  Principles  of  Sin  ;  by 
which  Principles  it  is,  that  Sin  has  a  pofitive  Power  and 
Influence.  For  evil  Affections  radically  confift  in  inor- 
dinate Love. to  other  Things  befides  God.  And  there- 
fore, Virtue  prevailing  beyond  thefe,  will  have  the  go- 
verning Influence.  The  Predominance  of  the  Love  of 
God  in  the' Hearts  of  good  Men  is  more  from  the  Nature 
of  the  Object  loved,  and  the  Nature  of  the  Principle 
of  true  Love,  than  the  Degree  of  the  Principle. 
The  Object  is  One  of  fupreme  Lovelinefs  ;  immenfely 
above  i&  other  Objects  in  Worthinefs  of  Regard  ; 
And  'tis  by  fach  a  tranfeendent  Excellency,  that  he  is 
God,  and  worthy  to  be  regarded  and  adored  as  God  :  And 
he  that  truly  loves  God,  loves  him  as  God  :  True  Love 
acknowledges  him  to  be  God,  or  to  be  divinely  and  fu- 
premely  Excellent  ;  And  muft  arife  from  fome  Know- 
ledge, Senfe  and  Conviction  of  his  Worthinefs  of  fu- 
preme Refpect  :  And  tho'  the  Senfe  and  View  of  it 
may  be  very  imperfect,  and  the  Love  that  arifes  from  it 
in  like  Manner  imperfect  ;  Yet  if  there  be  any  realifing 
View  of  fuch  divine  Excellency,  it  muft  caufe  the  Heart 
to  refpect  God  above  all. 

2.  Another  Reafon,  why  a  Principle  of  Holinefs  main- 
tains the  Dominion  in  the  Hearts  of  good  Men,  is  the  Na- 
ture of  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  and  thePromifes  of  that 
^Covenant,    on  which  true  Chriftian   Virtue   relies,  and 
which  engage  God's  Strength  and  /Usance  to  be  on  it's 

Side, 


^ectvt"         Extreme  Stupidity  &c.  49 

Side,  and  to  help  it  againfl  it's  Enemy,  that  it  may  not 
be  overcome.  The  Juft  live  by  Faith.  Holinefs  in  the 
Chriftian^or  his  fpiritualLife,  is  maintained,  ask  has  Ref* 
peel:  by  Faith  to  it's  Author  and  Finifher,  and  derives 
Strength  and  Efficacy  from  the  divine  Fountain,  and  by 
this  Means  overcomes.  For,  as  the  A  pottle  lays,  This  is 
the  Viclory  that  overcomes  the  JVorld,  even  our  Faith. 
'Tis  our  Faith  in  him  who  has  promifed,  never  to  leave 
nor  forfake  his  People,  and  not  to  forfake  the  "Work  of 
his  own  Hands,  nor  furfer  his  People  to  be  tempted  above 
their  Ability,  and  that  his  C  race  fhali  be  fufficient  fbr 
them,  and  that  his  Strength  iliall  be  made  perfect  inWeak- 
nefs,  and  that  where  he  has  begun  a  good  Work  he  will 
carry  it  on  to  the  Day  of  Chrifr. 

Sect.     VI. 

The  Corruption  of  Man's  -Nature  appears  by  it's 
Tendency,  in  ifs  prefent  State,  to  an  extreme 
Degree  of  Folly  and  Stupidity   in    Matters  of 

Religion. 

IT  appears,  thatMan'sNature  is  greatly  depraved,  by  an 
apparent  Pronenefs  to  an  exceeding  Stupidity  andSot- 
tillinefs  in  thofe  Things  wherein  his  Duty  and  main  In- 
tereft  are  chiefly  concerned. 

I  fhall  inftance  in  two  Things  ;  viz.  Men's  Pronenefs 
to  Idolatry.  ;  and  fo  general  and  great  a  gDifregard  of 
eternal  Things,  as  appears  in  them  that  live  under  the 
Light  of  the  Gofpel. 

'Tis  manifelt,  that  Man's  Nature  in  it's-  prefent  State 
is  attended  with  a  great  Propenfity  to  forfake  the  Acknow- 
ledgment and  Worship  of  the  true  God,  and  to  fall  into 
the  mod  ftupid  Idolatry,  This  has  been  fufficiently 
proved  by  known  Fa&,  on  abundant  rial  :  Inasmuch  as 
the  World  of  Mankind  in  general  (excepting  one  (ball 
people,  ouraculouflly  delivered  and  preserved)  through 

£  all 


$o      The  Idolatry  of  the  World      Part  L 

all  Nations,-  in  all  Parts  of  the  World,  Ages  after  Ages, 
continued  without  the  Knowledge  and  Worihip  of  the  true 
God,  and  overwhelmed  in  grofs  Idolatry,  without  the  lead 
Appearance  or  Profpect  of  it's  recovering  it  felf  from  io 
great  Blindnefs,  or  returning  from  it's  brutifh.  Principles 
and  Cuftoms,  'till  delivered  by  divine  Grace. 

In  Order  to  the  raoft  juft  arguing  from  Fa£t,  concern- 
ing theTendency  of  Man's  Nature,  as  that  is  in  it  felf,  it 
fliould  be  enquired  what  the  Event  has  been,  where  Na- 
ture has  been  left  to  k  felf, to  operate  according  to  it's  own 
Tendency,  with  leaft  Oppofition  made  to  it  by  any  thing 
fupernatural  ;  rather  than  in  exempt  Places,  where  the 
infinite  Power  and  Grace  of  God  have  interpofed,  and 
extraordinary  Means  have  been  ufed  to  (tern  the  Current, 
and  bring  Men  to  true  Religion  and  Virtue.'  As  to  the 
Means  by  which  God's  People  of  old,  in  the  Line  of 
^Abraham,  were  delivered  and  preferved  from  Idolatry, 
they  were  miraculous,  and  of  meer  Grace :■  Notwithstand- 
ing which,  they  were  often  relapfing  into  the  Notions  and 
Ways  of  the  Heathen  :  and  when  they  had  backflidden, 
never  were  recovered,  but  by  divine  gracious  Interpofiti- 
on.  And  as  to  the  Means  by  which  many  Gentile  Na- 
tions have  been  delivered,  fince  the  Days  of  the  Gofpel, 
they  are  fuch  as  have  been  wholly  owing  to  mod  won- 
derful, miraculous  and  infinite  Grace.  God  was  under 
no  Obligation  to  beftow  on  the  heathen  World  greater 
Advantages  than  they  had  in  the  Ages  of  their  grofs 
Darknefs  ;  as  appears  by  the  Fact,  that  God  a&aally  did 
not,  for  fo  long  a  Time,  beftow  greater  Advantages. 

Dr.  T*.  himfelf  obferves  {Key  P.  i.)  That  in  about 
400  Tears  after  the  Flood,  the  Generality  of  Mankind 
iv  ere  fallen  hito  Idolatry.  And  thus  it  was  everywhere 
through  the.  World,  excepting  among  that  People  that 
was  faved,  and  preferved  by  a  conftant  Series  of  Miracles, 
through  a  Variety  of  Countries,  Nations  and  Climates, 
great  enough, — and  thro'  fuccefliveChanges,  Revolutions 
andAges.  numerous  enough,  to  be  a  fufficientTrial  of  what 
Mankind  are  prone  to  y  if  there  be  any  fuch  thing  as  a 
fuffitienc  Trial  That 


Chap.  1. J        proves  corrupt  Nature.         r  i 

Sect. VI. 3  *  *  ■'*  J 

That  Men  fhonld  for  fake  the  true  God  for  Idols,  is 
an  Evidence  of  the  mod  allonifhing  Folly  and  Stupidity, 
by  Gods  ownTeftimony.    Jer.  ii.  13.     Be  aftowjbed,  O 
yeHeaverts,  at  this,  and  be  ye  horribly  afraid,  be  ye  very 
defo late,  faith  the  Lord :  For  my  People  have  committed 
two  Evils  ;  They   have  forfaken  me   the  Fountain  of 
living  Waters,  and  have  hewed  out  to  themfelves  Cifterns, 
broken  Cijlerns,   that  can  hold  no  TVater.     And  that 
Mankind  in  general  did  thus,  fo  foon  after  the  Flood,  was 
from  the  evil  Propenfity  of  their  Hearts,  and  becaufe  they 
did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their  Knowledge  ;  as  is 
evident    by  Rom.  1.  28. — And  the  Univerfality  of  the 
Effect  fhews  that  the  Caufe  was  univerfal,  and  not  any 
Thing  belonging  to  the  particular  Circumftances  of  one, 
or  only  fome  Nations  or  Ages,  but  fomething  belonging 
to  that  Nature  that  is  common  to  all  Nations,  and   that 
remains  the  fame  thro'  all  Ages.     And  what  other  Caufe 
could   this  great  Effect  poffibiy  arife  from,  but  a  depraved 
Pifpofition.,  natural  to  all  Mankind  ?  It  could  not  arife 
from  Want  of  a  fufficient  Capacity  or  Means  of  Know* 
ledge.     This  is  in  Effecl:  confeffed  on  all  Hands.     Dr. 
Turnbull,  (Chrif.  Phil  P.  21.)  fays  as  follows  ;  "  The 
"  Exigence  of  one  infinitely  powerful,  wife  and   good 
<{  Mind,  the  Author,  Creator,  Upholder  and  Governour 
"  of  all  Things,  is  a  Truth  that  lies  plain  and  obvious 
<<  to    all   that  will  but   think."     And  (Ibid.   P.   245.) 
li  Moral  knowledge,  which  is  the  mod  important  of  all 
ei  Knowledge,  may  eafily  be  acquired  by  all  Men."     And 
again,  (Ibid.  P.  292.)  "-  Every  Man  by  himfelf,  if  he 
"  would  duly  employ  his  Mind,  in  the  Contemplation  of 
t(  the  Works  of  God  about  him,  or  in  the  Examination 

"  of  his  own  Frame, might  make  very  great  Pro- 

"  grefs  in  the  Knowledge  of  the  Wifdomand  ©bddriels 
"  of  God.     This  all  Men,  generally  fpeaking,  might  d 
*  with  very  little  Affiftance  ;  for  they  have  all  furh 
"   Abilities  for  thus  employing  their  Minds,  and  hav 
"  fufficient  Time  for  it."     Mr.  Locke  fays,  (Hum.  I 
5.  IV.  Chap.  iv.  P.  242.  Edit.  11.)  «  Our  own 

E  z  iftencc-.. 


52       The  Idolatry  of  the  World     Part  L 

***  iftence,  and  the  fenfible  Parts  of  the  Univerfe,  offer 
*'  the  Proofs  of  a  Deity  fo  clearly  and  cogently  to  our 
"  Thoughts,  that  I  deem  it  impoffible  for  a  confidence 
<;  Man  to  withftand  them.  For  I  judge  it  as  certain  and 
"  clear  a  Truth,  as  can  any  where  be  delivered,  that  the 
4<  invisible  Things  of  God  are  clearly  feen  from  the 
*c  Creation  of  the  World',  being  understood  by  the  things 
"  that  are  made,  even  his  eternal  Power  and  Godhead.'' 
And  Dr.  T.  himfelf,  (in  P,  78.)  fays,  "  The  Light 
«'  given  to  all  Ages  and  Nations  of  the  World,  is  fufficient 
u  for  the  Knowledge  and  Practice  of  their  Duty."  And 
in  P.  in,  112.  citing  thefe  Words  of  the  Apoitle,  Rom. 
ii.  14,  15,  fays,  "  This  clearly  fuppofes  that  the  Gen- 
"  tiles,  who  were  then  in  the  World,  might  have  done 
4t  the  Things  contained  in  the  Law  by  Nature,  or  their 
"  natural  Power."  And  in  one  of  the  next  Sentences, 
he  fays,  i(f  The  Apoftle  in  Rom.  i.  19,  20,  21.  affirms 
**  that  the  Gentiles  had  Light  fufficient  to  have  feen 
ff  God's  eternal1  Power  and  Godhead,  in  the  Works  of 
4,1  Creation  ;  and  that  the  Reafon  why  they  did  not  glo* 
*'  rify  him  as  God^  was  becaufe  they  became  vain  in  their 
*c  Imaginations,  and  had  darken'd  their  foolifh.  Heart  ; 
u  fo  that  they  were  without  Excufe."  And  in  his  Para- 
phrafe  on  thofe  Verfes  in  the  ill  of  Rom.  he  fpeaks  of 
the  "  veryHeathens,  that  were  without  a  written  Revela- 
f*  tion,  as  having  that  clear  and.  evident  Difcovery  cf 
*c  God's  Being  and  Perfections,  that  they  are  inexcufable 
*'  in  not  glorifying  him,  fuitably  to  his  excellent  Nature, 
*c  and  as  the  Author  of  their  Being  and  Enjoyments." 
And  in  P.  422,  he  fays,  "  God  affords  every  Man  fuf- 
*c  ficient  Light  to  know  his  Duty."  If^all  Ages  and 
Nations  of  the  World  have  fufficient  Light  for  the  Know- 
ledge of  God,  and  their  Duty  to  him,  then  even  fuch 
Nations  and  Ages,  in  which  the  mod  brutifli  Ignorance 
and  Barbarity  prevailed,  had  fufficient  Light,  if  they  had 
had  but  a  Difpofition  to  improve  it  j  and  then  much  more 
thofe  of  the  Heathen,  which  were  more  knowing  ani 
Boli&'d,  and  in  Ages  wherein  Arts  and  Learning  had  made 

greased- 


^Eei^vi^       prove*  corrupt  Nature.         53 

/greateft  Advances.     But  even  in  fuch  Nations  and  Ages,' 
there  was   no  Advance  made  towards  true  Religion  ;  as 
Dr.  Winder  obferves,  (Hift.  of  Know /.  Vol.  II.  P.  336,) 
in   the  following  Words  ;  "    i  he  Pagan  Religion  degene- 
"  rated  into  greater  Abfurdity,  the  further  it  proceeded ; 
•"  and  it  prevailed  in  all  it's  Height  of  Abfurdity,  when 
*'  the  Pagan  Nations  were  polifhed  to  the  Height.     Tho* 
4C  they  fet  out  with  the  Talents  of  Reafon,  and  had  folid 
*'  Foundations  of  Information  to  build  upon,  it  in  Fact 
<s  proved,  that  with  all  their  ftrengthend  Faculties,   and 
"  growing  Powers  of  Reafon,  the  Edifice  of  Religion  rofe 
"  in  the  moft  abfurd  Deformities  and  Difproportions,  and 
c:  gradually  went  on  in  the  moft  irrational,difproportion'd, 
tc  incongruous  Syftems,  of  which  the  mod:  eafy  Di&ates 
<s  of  Reafon  would   have  demonftrated  the  Abfurdity. 
"  They  were  contrary  to  all  jufl  Calculations  in  moral 
<;  Mathematicks."     He  obferves,   "  That  their  groiTefl 
"  Abominations  firft  began   in  Egypt,  where  was  an 
ec  Oftentuion  of  the  greatefl  Progrefs  in  Learning  and 
"  Science  :  and  they  never  renounced   clearly  any  of 
li  their  Abominations,  or  openly  returned  to  the  Worfhip 
4<  of  the  one  true  God,  the  Creator  of  all  things,  and  to 
*'  the  original,  genuine  Sentiments  of  the  higheft,  and 
*    mod:  venerable  Antiquity.     The  Pagan  Religion  con- 
•*  tinned  In  this  deep  State  of  Corruption  to  the  lafL 
"  The  Pagan  Philofophers,   and  inquifitive  Men,   made 
"  great  Improvements  in  many  Sciences,  and  even   in 
w  Morality  it  felf ;  yet  the  inveterate  Abfurdities  of  Pa- 
*c  gan  Idolatry,  remain'd  withoutRTemedy.     Every  Tern- 
**  pie  fmcked  withlncenfe  to  the  Sun  and  Moon/&  other 
•'  inanimate,  material  Luminaries,  and  earthly  Elements, 
•*  to  Jupiter,  Juno,  Mars  and  Venus,  &c.  the  Patrons  and 
"  Examples  of  almoft  every  Vice.     'Hecatombs  bled  on 
"  the  Altars  of  a  Thoufand  Gods  ;  as  mad  Superflitioa 
Ci  infpired.     And  this  was  not  the  Difgrace  of  our  igno- 
cc  rant,  untaught  Northern  Countries  only  ;  but  even  at 
ct  .Athens  itfelf,  the    Infamy  reigned,    and   circulated 
gJ  thro'  all  Greece :  And  finally  prevailed,  amidft  all  their 

"  Learning 


54     Of  Mens  wicked  and  Jlupid    Part  I. 

"  Learning  &  Politenefs,  under  the  Ptolomy's  in  Egypt, 
c*  and  the  Cxfars  at  Rome.  Now  if  the  Knowledge  of 
*'  the  Pagan  World,  in  Religion,  proceeded  no  further 
"  than  this  ;  if  they  retain' d  all  their  Deities,  even  the 
"  mod:  abfurd  of  them  all,  their  deified  Beads,  and  de- 
<c  ified  Men,  even  to  the  laft  Breath  of  Pagan  Power  ; 
*'  We  may  juftly  afcribe  the  great  Improvements  in  the 
"  World  on  the  Subject  of  Religion,  to  divine  Revelati* 
"  on,:  either  vouchfafed  in  the  Beginning,  when  this 
"  Knowledge  was  competently  clear  and  copious  ;  or  at 
<c  the  Death  of  Paganifm,  when  this  Light  fhone  forth 
*'  in  it's  confumate  Luflre,  at  the  Coming  of  Chrift." 

Dr.  T.  often  fpeaks  of  the  Idolatry  of  the  Heathen 
World,  as  great  JVickednefs,  in  which  they  were  wholly 
inexcufable  :  and  yet  often  fpeaks  of  their  Cafe  as  re- 
medilefs,  as  being  dead  in  Sin,  and  unable  to  recover 
themfelves.  And  if  fo,and  yet,according  to  his  own  Doc- 
trine, every  Age,  and  every  Nation,  and  every  Man,  had 
fufficient  Light  afforded,  to  know  God,  and  to  know  and 
do  their  whole  Duty  to  him  ;  then  their  Inability  to  de- 
liver themfelves  muft  be  a  moral  Inability,  confirming  in 
a  defperate  Depravity,  and  moft  evil  Difpofition  of  Heart. 

And  if  there  had  not  been  fufficient  Trial  of  the  Pro- 
penfity  of  the  Hearts  of  Mankind,  thro'  all  thofe  Ages 
that  pafs'd  from  Abraham  to  Chrift,  the  Trial  has  been 
continued  down  to  this  Day,  in  all  thofe  vail  Regions  of 
the  Face  of  the  Earth,  that  have  remain'd  without  any 
Effects  of  the  Light  of  the  Gofpel  ;  and  the  difmal  Effect 
continues  every  where  unvaried.  How  was  it  with  that 
Multitude  of  Nations  mhahiungS outh  8c  North  America? 
What  Appearance  was  there,  when  the  Europeans  flrft 
came  hither,  of  their  being  recovered,  or  recovering,  in 
any  Degree  from  the  grofleit  Ignorance,  Delufions,  and 
moft  flupid  Paganifm  ?  And  how  is  it  at  this  Day,  in 
thofe  Parts  of  Africa  and  Ada,  into  which  the  Light  of 
the  Gofpel  has  not  penetrated  ? 

This  ftrong  and  univerfally  prevalent  Difpofition  of 
Jl Unkind  to  Idolatry,  of  which  there  has  been  fuch  great 

Trial, 


*rHAf  -  j- 1    Difregard  of  eternal  Things.    5  5 

Trial,  and  fo  notorious  and  vaft  Proof,  in  Fa&,  is  a  mofl 
glaring  Evidence  of  the  exceeding  Depravity  of  the  hu- 
man Nature  ;  as  'tis  a  Propenfity,  in  the  utmoft  Degree, 
contrary  to  the  higheft  End,  the  main  Bufinefs,  and  chief 
Happinefs  of  Mankind,  confiding  in  the  Knowledge,  Ser- 
vice and  Enjoyment  of  the  living  God,  the  Creator  and 
Governour  of  the  World  ; —  in  the  higheft  Degree  con- 
trary to  that  for  which  mainly  God  gave  Mankind  more 
Understanding  than  the  Beafts  of  the  Earth,  and  made 
them  wifer  than  the  Fowls  of  Heaven  ;  which  was,  thaC 
they  might  be  capable  of  the  Knowledge  of  God  ; — And 
in  the  higheftDegree  contrary  to  the  fir  ft  and  greateft  Com- 
mandment of  the  moral  Law,  That  we  fliould  have  no 
rther  Gods  before  JEHOVAH,  and  that  we  fhould  love 
and  adore  him  with  all  our  Heart,  Soul,  Mind  and 
Strength.  The  Scriptures  are  abundant  in  reprefenting 
the  Idolatry  of  the  Heathen  World  as  their  exceeding 
Wickednefs,  and  their  mod  brutifli  Stupidity.  They  that 
worfhip  and  truft  in  Idols,  are  faid  themfelves  to  be  like 
•the  lifelefsStatues  they  worfhip,  like  meer  fenfelefs  Stocks 
and  Stones,  Pfal.  oxv.  4 8.  and  cxxxv.  15 18. 

A  Second  Inftance  of  the  natural  Stupidity  of  the 
Mkids  of  Mankind,that  I  fliall  obferve,is  that  greztT)ifre~ 
gard  of  their  own  eternal  Inter  eft-,  whichappears  fo  remar- 
kably, fo  general] y,among them  that  live  under  theGofpel. 

As  Mr.  Locke  obferves,  (Hum.  Und.  Vol.  I.  P.  207.) 
iC  Were  the  Will  determined  by  the  Views  of  Good,  as 
M  k  appears  in  Contemplation,  greater  or  lefs  to  the  Un- 
*t  -derftanding,  it  could  never  get  loofe  from  the  infinite 
"  eternal  Joys  of  Heaven,  once  propofed,  and  confidered 
<c  as  poffible  :  the  eternal  Condition  of  a  future  State 
*  infinitely  outweighing  the  Expectation  of  Riches  or 
"  Honour,  or  any  other  worldly  Pleafure,  which  we  can 
"  propofe  to  our  felvcs  ;  tho'  we  fliould  grant  thefe  the 
Ci  more  probable  to  be  obtained."  Again  (P.  228,  229.) 
65  He  that  will  not  be  fo  far  a  rational  Creature,  as  to 
■««  reflecl:  ferioufly  upon  infinite  Happinefs  and  Mifery* 
**  muft  needs  condemn  himfelf,  as  not  making  that  Ufe 

E  4  "  ^ 


56      Of  Mensfiupid  Difregard     Part  I. 

*c  of  his  Undemanding  he  fhould.  The  Rewards  and 
**  Punifhments  of  another  Life,  which  the  Almighty  has 
*'  eflablilhed,  as  the  Enforcements  of  his  Laws,  are  of 
"  Weight  enough  to  determine  the  Choice,  againft  what- 
*'  foever  Pleafurc  or  Pain  this  Life  can  fhow.  When 
"  the  eternalState  is  considered  but  in  it's  barePefubility, 
*'  which  no  Body  can  make  any  Doubt  of,  he  that  will 
*'  allow  exquifite  and  endlefs  Happinefs  to  be  but  the 
ic  pofhble  Confequence  of  a  good  Life  here,  and  the 
<c  contrary  State  the  pofhble  Reward  of  a  bad  one,  muft 
%i  own  himfelf  to  judge  very  much  amifs,  if  he  does  not 
*'  conclude  that  a  virtuous  Life,  with  the  certain  Expec- 
*'  tation  of  everlafting  Blifs,  which  may  come,  is  to  be 
4C  preferred  to  a  vicious  one, with  the  Fear  of  that  dread- 
*'  Ful  State  of  Mifery,  which  'tis  very  pofhble  may  over- 
*'  take  the  guilty,  or  at  leaft  the  terrible  uncertain  Hope 
**  of  Annihilation.  This  is  fo  evidently  fo  ;  tho'  the 
*'  virtuous  Life  here  had  Nothing  but  Pain,  and  the 
**  vicious  continual  Pleasure  ;  which  yet  is  for  the  moft 
<k  Part  quite  otherwife,  and  wicked  Men  have  not  much 
"  the  Odds  to  bragg  of,  even  in  their  prefent  PofTefhon  ; 
*c  Nay,  all  things  rightly  confidered,  have  I  think  even 
*c  the  word  Part  here.  But  when  infinite  Happinefs  is 
*j  put  in  one  Scale,  againft.  infinite  Mifery  in  the  other  ; 
4t  if  the  word  that  comes  to  the  piousMan,  if  he  miftakes, 
4t  be  the  beft  that  the  wicked  Man  can  attain  to,  if  he 
*(  be  in  the  right  ;  who  can,  without  Madnefs,  run  the 
*i  Venture  ?  Who  in  his  Wits  would  chufe  to  come  with- 
c:  in  a  Poffibility  of  infinite  Mifery  ?  which  if  he  mifs, 
**  there  is  yetNothing  to  be  got  by  thatHazzard  :  Where- 
*?  as,  on  the  other  Side,  the  fober  Man  ventures  Nothing, 
"  againft  infinke  Happinefs  to  be  got,  if  his  Expectation 
4i  comes  to  pafs." 

That  Difpofition  of  Mind  which  is  a  Propenfity  to  aft 
contrary  to  Reafon,  is  a  depraved  Difpofition.  'Tis  not 
becaufe  the  Faculty  of  Reafon,  which  God  has  given  to 
Mankind,  is  not  fufficient  fully  to  difcover  to  'em  that 
forty,  fixty,  or  an  hundred  Years,  is  as  Nothing  in  Com- 

parifon 


Chap  L?  0f  eternal  Things.  C7 

Sect. VI.  5  J 

parifon  of  Eternity,  -infinitely  lefs  than  a  feeond  of  Time 
ro  an  hundred  Years,  that  the  greateft  worldly  Prof  perky 
and  Pleafure  is  not  treated  with  mod  perfect!)  ifregard,  in 
allCafes  where  there  is  anyDegree  ofCompetition  of  earth- 
ly Things,  with  Salvation  from  exquifite  eternal  Mifery, 
and  the  Enjoyment  of  everlafting  Glory  and  Felicity  ; 
as  certainly  it  would  be,  if  Men  acted  according  to  Rea- 
fon.  But  is  it  a  Matter  of  Doubt  or  Cqntroverfy ,  whether 
Men  in  general  don't  fhew  a  ilrong  Difpofition  to  act  far 
otherwise*,  from  their  Infancy,  'till  Death  is  in  a  fenfible 
Approach  ?  In  things  that  concern  Men's  temporal  In- 
tereft,,  they'eafily  difcern  the  Difference  between  Things 
of  a  long  and  fhort  Continuance.  'Tis  no  hard  Matter 
to  convince  Men  of  the  Difference  between  a  being  ad- 
mitted to  the  Accommodations,  and  Entertainments  of  a 
convenient,  beautiful,  well-furniihed  Habitation,  and  to 
partake  of  the  Provisions  and  Produce  of  a  plentiful  E- 
ftate,  for  a  Day,  or  a  Night ;  and  having  all  given  to  them, 
and  fettled  upon  them,  as  their  own,  to  poffefs  as  long  as 
they  live,  and  to  be  their's,  and  their  Heirs  for  ever  t 
There  would  be  no  Need  of  Men's  preaching  Sermons, 
and  fpending  their  Strength  and  Life,  to  convinceMen  of 
the  Difference.  Men  know  how  to  adjuft  Things  in  their 
Dealings  and  Contracts  one  with  another,  according  to  the 
Length  of  Time  in  which  any  thing  agreed  for  is  to  be 
ufed  or  enjoyed.  In  temporal  Affairs,  Men  are  fenfible 
that  it  concerns  'em  to  provide  for  future  Time,  as  well 
as  for  the  prefent.  Thus  common  Prudence  teaches  'em 
to  take  Care  in  Summer  to  lay  up  for  Winter  ;  yea,  to 
provide  a  Fund,  and  get  a  (olid  Eflate,  whence  they  may 
be  fupplied  for  a  long  Time  to  come.  And  not  only  fof 
but  they  are  willing  and  forward  to  fpend  and  be  fpent, 
to  provide  that  which  will  Hand  their  Children  in  Stead, 
after  they  are  dead  ;  tho'  it  be  quite  uncertain,who  fhalf 
ufe  and  enjoy  what  they  lay  up,  after  they  have  left  the 
World  ;  and  if  their  Children  Jhould  have  the  Comfort 
of  it,  as  they  defire,  they  will  not  partake  with  them  in 
that  Comfort,  or  have  any  more  a  Portion  in  any  thing 

under 


58  This  Stupidity  proves  Part  L 

under  the  Sun.  In  things  which  relate  to  Men's  temporal 
Intereft,  they  feem  very  fenfible  of  the  Uncertainty  of 
Life,  efpecially  of  the  Lives  of  others  ;  and  to  make  an- 
fwerable  Provifion  for  the  Security  of  their  worldly  In- 
tereft, that  no  confiderable  Part  of  it  may  reft  only  on  fo 
uncertain  a  Foundation,  as  the  Life  of  a  Neighbour  or 
Friend.  Common  Difcretion  leads  Men  to  take  good 
Care,  that  their  outward  PolTeiTions  be  well  fecured,  by  a 
good  and  firm  Title.  In  worldly  Concerns,  Men  arc 
difcerning  of  their  Opportunities,  and  careful  to  improve 
'em  before  they  are  pafs'd.  The  Hufbandman  is  care- 
ful to  plow  his  Ground,  and  fow  his  Seed,  in  the  proper 
Seafon  ;  otherwife  he  knows  he  can't  expect  a  Crop  :  and 
when  the  Harvefl  is  come,  he  will  not  fleep  away  the 
Time  ;  for  he  knows,  if  he  does  fo,  the  Crop  will  foon 
be  loft.  How  careful  and  eagle-eyed  is  the  Merchant  to 
obferve  and  improve  his  Opportunities  and  Advantages, 
to  enrich  himfelf  ?  How  apt  are  Men  to  be  alarmed  at 
the  Appearance  of  Danger  to  their  worldly  Efkte,  or  any 
thing  that  remarkably  threatens  great  Lofs  or  Damage  to 
their  outward  Intereft  ?  and  how  will  they  beftir  them- 
felves  in  fuch  a  Cafe,  if  poffible  to  avoid  the  thrcaten'd 
Calamity  ?  In  things  purely  fecnlar,  and  not  of  a  moral 
.or  fpiritual  Nature,  Men  eafily  receive  Conviction  by  paft 
Experience,  when  any  thing,  on  repeated  Trial,  proves 
unprofitable  or  prejudicial ;  and  are  ready  to  take  Warn- 
ing by  what  they  have  found  themfelves,  and  alfo  by  the 
Experience  of  their  Neighbours,  and  Forefathers. 

But  if  we  confider  how  Men  generally  conduct  them* 
felves  in  things  on  which  their  "Well-being  does  infinitely 
more  depend,  how  vaft  is  the  Diverfity  f  In  thefe  things, 
how  cold,  lifelefs  and  dilatory  ?  With  what  Difficulty  are 
a  Few  of  Multitudes  excited  to  any  tolerable  Degree  of 
Care  and  Diligence,  by  the  innumerable  Means  u  fed  with 
Men  to  make  'em  wife  for  themfelves  ?  And  when  fom« 
Vigilance  and  Activity  is  excited,  how  apt  is  it  to  die  a- 
way,  like  a  meer  Force  againft  a  natural  Tendency  ? 
What  Need  of  a  conftant  Repetition  of  Admonitions  and 

Counfsls, 


£HA\H    dreadfulCorruption  of  Nature.  59 

Counfels,  to  keep  the  Heart  from  falling  afleep  I  How 
many  Objections  are  made  ?  And  how  are  Difficulties  mag- 
nified ?  And  how  foon  is  the  Mind  difcouraged  ?  How 
many  Arguments,  and  often  renewed,  and  Vurioufly  and 
elaborately  enforced,  do  Men  iland  in  Need  of,  to  con- 
vince em  of  things  that  are  felf  evident  ?  As  that  things 
which  arc  eternal,are  infinitely  more  important  than  things 
temporal,  &  the  like.     And  after  all,  how  very  few  con- 
vinced effectually,  or  in  fuch  a  Manner  as  to  induce  to  a 
practical  Preference  of  eternal  Things  ?  How  fenfelefs 
are  Men  of  the  Neceffity  of  improving  their  Time  to  pro- 
vide for  Futurity,  as  to  their  fpiritual  Intereft,  and   their 
Welfare  in  another  World  ?  Tho'  it  be  an  endlefs  Futu- 
rity, and  tho'  it  be  their  own  perfonal,  infinitely  important 
Good,  after  they  are  dead,  that  is  to  be  cared  for,  and 
not  the  Good  of  their  Children,  which  they  fhall  have  no 
Share  in. — Tho'Men  are  fo  fenfible  of  theUncertainty  of 
their  Neighbours  Lives,  when  any  confiderable  Part  of 
their  Eft ates  depends  on  the  Continuance  of  them  ;  how 
ftupidly  fenfelefs  do  they  feem  to  be  of  the  Uncertainty 
of  their  own  Lives,  when  their  Prefervation  from  im- 
menfely  great,  rcmedilefs   and  endlefs  Mifery,  is  rifqued 
by  a  prefent  Delay,  thro'  a  Dependence  on  futureOppor- 
tunity  ?  What  adreadfulVenture  will  Men  carelefly  and 
boldly  run,  and  repeat  and  multiply,  with  Regard  to  their 
eternal  Salvation,    who  are  very  careful  to  have  every 
Thing  in  a  Deed  or  Bond  firm,   and  without  a  Flaw  ? 
How  negligent  are  they  of  their  fpecial  Advantages  and 
Opportunities  for  their  Soul's  Good  ?  How  hardly  awa- 
ken d  by  the  mod  evident  and  imminent  Dangers,  threa- 
tening eternal  Deftruction,  yea,  tho'  put  in  Mind  of  'em, 
and  much  Pains  taken  to  point    them  forth,  fliew  them 
plainly,  and  fully  to  reprefent  them,  if  poffible  to  engage 
their  Attention  to  'em  ?  How  are  they    like  the  Horfe, 
that  boldly  ruflies  into  the  Battle  ?  How  hardly  are  Men 
convinced  by  their  own    frequent  and  abundant  Experi- 
ence, of  the  unfatisfactory  Nature  of  earthly  Things,  and 
jhe  Jnftability  of  their  own  Hearts  in  their  good  Frames 

and 


6o  TChh  Stupidity  proves.       Part.  L 

and  Intentions  ?  And  how  hardly  convinced  by  their  own 
Obfervatkm,  and  the  Experience  of  all  paft  Generations, 
of  the  Uncertainty  of  Life,  and  it's  Enjoyments  ?  Pfal. 
xlix.   1 1 ,    &c.     Their  inward  Thought  is,  that  their 

Houfes  fball  continue  forever. jN 'evert he lefs,  Man 

being  in  Honour,  abideth  not ;  he  is  like  the  Beafls  that 
perijb.  This  their  Way  is  their  Folly  :  yet  their  Pof 
terity  approve  their  Sayings.  Like  Sheep  are  they  laid 
in  the  Grave. 

In  thefe  Things,  Men  that  are  prudent  for  their  tem- 
poral IntereSt,  act  as  if  they  were  bereft  of  Reafon  :  They 
have  Eyes,  and  fee  not ;  Ears,  and  hear  not  ;  neither 
do  they  under/land  :  They  are  like  the  Horfe  and  Mule, 
that  have  ?io  tinder  ft  anding. — Jer.  viii.  7.  The  Stork 
in  the  Heaven  knoweth  her  appointed  Times  -,  and  the 
Turtle,  and  the  Crane \  and  the  S-wallo-zv,  vbferve  the 
Time  of  their  Coming  :  ,But  my  People  know  not  thr 
Judgment  of  the  Lord. 

Thefe  things  are  often  mentioned  in  Scripture,  as  Evi- 
dences of  extreme  Folly  and  Stupidity,  wherein  Men  act 
as  greatEnemies  to  themfelves,as  tho'they  loved  their  own 
Ruin  j  Prov.  viii.  3  6.  Laying  wait  for  their  own  Blood, 
Prov.  i.  1  8.  And  how  can  thefe  things  be  accounted 
for,  but  by  fuppofing  a'moSt  wretched  Depravity  of  Na- 
ture ?  Why  otherwife  Should  not  Men  be  as  wife  for 
themfelves  in  fpiritual  and  eternal  Things,  as  in  temporal  ? 
All  Christians  will  confefs,  thatMan's  Faculty  of  Reafon 
v/as  given  him  chiefly  to  enable  him  to  understand  the 
former,  wherein  his  main  IntereSt,  and  true  HappineSs 
confifts.  This  Faculty  would  therefore  undoubtedly  b« 
every  Way  as  Sit  for  the  underftanding  of  them,  as  the 
latter,  if  not  depraved.  The  Reafon  why  thefe  are  un- 
derstood and  not  the  other,  is  not  that  fuch  things  as  have 
been  mentioned,  belonging  to  Men's  fpiritual  and  eternal 
IntereSt,  are  more  obfeure  and  abStrufe  in  their  own  Na- 
ture. For  Inftance,  the  Difference  between  long  and 
ihort,  the  Need  of  providing  for  Futurity,  the  Importance 
<sf  improving  proper  Opportunities,  and  of  having  good 

Security, 


?eHctPvl]  dreadfulCorruption  oj f Nature.  6r 

Security,   and  a  fure  Foundation,  in  Affairs  wherein  our 
Intereft  is  greatly  concerned,  &c.  thefe  things  arc  as 
plain  in  themfelves  in  religiousMatters,  as  in  other  Matters. 
And  we  have  far  greater  Means  to  affift  ue  to  be  wife  for 
our  felves  in  eternal,  than  in  temporal  Things.     We  have 
the  abundant  Inftru&ion  of  perfeft  and  infinite  Wifdom  k 
felf,  to  lead  &  conduct  us  in  the  Paths  of  Righteoufnefs, 
fo  that  we  may  not  err.     And  the  Reafons  of  Things  are 
mod  clearly,  varioufly  and  abundantly  fet  before  us  in 
the  Word  cf  God  ;  which  is  adapted  to  the  Faculties  of 
Mankind,  tending  greatly  to  enlighten  and  convince  the 
Mind  :  Whereas,  we  have  no  fuch  excellent  and  perfect 
Rules  to  inftrucl:  and  direct  us  in  Things  pertaining  to  our 
temporal  Intereft,  nor  any  thing  to  be  compared  to  it. 
,    If  any  fliould  %,  'Tis  true,  if  Men  gave  full  Credit 
to  what  they  are  told  concerning  eternal  Things,  and  thefe 
appeared  to  'em  as  real  and  certain  Things,  it  would  be 
an  Evidence  of  a  fort  of  Madnefs  in  them,  that  they  fhew 
no  greater  Regard  to  'em  in  Practice  :  But  there  is  Rea- 
fon  to  think,  this  is  not  the  Cafe  ;  the  Things  of  another 
World,  being  unfeen  things,  appear  to  Men°as  things  of 
avery  doubtful  Nature,  and  attended  with  great  Uncer- 
tainty. — In  Anfwer,  I  would  obferve,  agreeable  to  what 
has  been  cited  fromMr.££<ri£,  Though  eternal  things  were 
confidered  in  their  bare  Pofilbility,  if  Men  acted  rationally, 
they  would  infinitely  outweigh  all  temporal  Things  ia 
their  Influence  on  their  Hearts.     And  I  would  alfo  ob- 
ferve, that  the  fuppofing  eternal  Things  not  to  be  fully 
believed,  at  leaft  by  them  who  enjoy  the  Light  of  the 
Gofpel,  does  not  weaken,  but  rather  ftrengthen  the  Argu- 
ment for  the  Depravity  of  Nature.,    For  the  eternal 
World  being  what  God  had  chiefly  in  View  m  the  Cre- 
ation of  Men,  and  the  Things  of  this  World  being  made 
to  be  wholly  fubordinate  to  the  other,  Man's  State  here 
being  only  a  State  of  Probation,Preparation  &  ProgrefHon, 
with  refpeft  to  the  future  State,  and  fo  eternal  Things 
being  in  EfFecl:  Men's  All,  their  whole  Concern  :  to  un- 
dsrftand  and  know  whichjit  shjefly  was, that  they  had  Un- 

derftanding 


62  Tie  Generality  of  Part  I. 

derftanding  given  'em  ;  and  it  concerning  them  infinitely 
niore  to  know  the  Truth  of  eternal  Things  than  any  other, 
as  all  that  are  not  Infidels  will  own  ;  Therefore,  we  may 
undoubtedly  conclude,  that  if  Men  have  not  Refpeft  to 
'em  as  real  and  certain  Things,  it  cannot  be  for  Want  df 
fufficient  Evidence  of  their  Truth,  to  induce  'em  fo  to 
regard  them ;  efpecially  as  to  them  that  live  under  that 
Light,  which  God  has  appointed  as  the  moft  proper  Ex- 
hibition of  the  Nature  and  Evidence  of  thefe  Things  : 
But  it  muft  be  from  a  dreadful  ;Stupidity  of  Mind,  oc- 
cafioning  a  fottifh  Infenfibility  of  their  Truth  and  Im- 
portance, when  manifefted  by  the  cleared  Evidence. 


Sect.     VIL 

That  Mans  Nature  is  corrupt,  appears,  in  that 
vajlly  the  greater  Tart  of  Mankind,  in  all  jlges^ 
have  been  wicked  Men. 

THE  Depravity  of  Man's  Nature  appears,  not  only 
in  it's  Propenfity  to  Sin  in  fome  ^Degree,  which 
renders  a  Man  an  evil  or  wicked  Man  in  the  Eye  of  the 
Law,  and  {lric*l  Juftice,  as  was  before  ihewn ;  but  it  is 
fo  corrupt,  that  it's  Depravity,  either  fhews  that  Men  are, 
or  tends  to  make  them  to  be,  of  fuch  an  evil  Character, 
.as  fhall  denominate  them  wicked  Men,  according  to  the 
Tenor  of  the  Covenant  of  Grace. 

This  may  be  argued  from  feveral  Things  which  have 
been  already  obferved  :  as  from  a  Tendency  to  continual 
Sin  ;  a  Tendency  to  much  greater  Degrees  of  Sin  than 
Righteoufnefs,  and  from  the  general  extreme' Stupidity 
of  Mankind.  But  yet  the  prefent  State  of  Man's  Na- 
ture, as  implying,  or  tending  to  a  wicked  Character,  may 
be  worthy  to  be  more  particularly  confidered,  and  directly 
proved.  And  in  general,  this  appears,  in  that  there  have 
been  fo  very  Few  in  the  World,  from  A  ge  to  Age,  ever 
fince  the  World  has  flood,  that  have  been  of  any  other 
Chara&er.  'Tis 


£$*vfi  \       Mankind  are  Wicked.         63 

'Tis  abundantly  evident  in  Scripture,  and  h  what  I 
fiippofe  none  that  call  themfelves  Chriftians  will  deny, 
that  the  whole  World  is  divided  into  Good  and  Bad,  and 
that  all  Mankind  at  the  Day  of  Judgment  will  either  be 
approved  as  righteous,  or  condemned  as  wicked  ;  either 
glorified,  as  Children  of  the  Kingdom,  or  caft  into  a  Fur- 
nace of  Fire,  as  Children  of  the  zvicked  One. 

I  need  not  (had  to  mew  what  Things  belong  to  the 
Character  of  fuch  as  fhall  hereafter  be  accepted  as  Righ- 
teous, according  to  the  Word  of  God.     It  may  be  fuf- 
ficient  for  my  prefent  Purpofe,  to  obferve  what  Dr.  T. 
himfelf  fpeaks  of  as  belonging  eflentially  to  the  Character 
of  fuch.     In  P.  203.  He  fays,  "  This  is  infallibly  the 
"  Character  of  true  Chriftians,  and  what  is  eflential  to 
€t  fuch,  that  they  have  really  mortified  the  Flefh,  with 
6<  it's  Lulls  ; — They  are  dead  to  Sin,  and  live  no  longer 
"  therein  ;  The  old  Man  is  crucified,  and  the  Body  of 
<s  Sin  deftroyed  :  They  yield  themfelves  to  God,  as  thofe 
"  that  are  alive  from  the  Dead,  and  their  Members  as 
«'  Inftruments  of  Righteoufnefs  to  God,  and  as  Servants 
¥  of  Righteoufnefs  to  Holinefs." — There  is  more  to  the 
like  Purpofe  in  the  two  next  Pages,     In  P.  228,  He  fays, 
*'  Whatfoever  is  evil  and  corrupt  in  us,  we  ought  to  con- 
M  demn  ;  not  fo,  as  it  fhall  ftill  remain  in  us,  that  we  may 
"  always  be  condemning  it,  but  that  we  may  fpeedily  re* 
#i-  form,  and  be  effectually  delivered  from  it  ;  otherwife 
"  certainly  we  do  not  come  up  to  the  Character  of  the 
*  true  Difciples  of  Chrift." 

In  P.  248.  He  fays,  "  Unlefs  God's  Favour  be  pre- 
•c  fer'd  before  all  other  Enjoyments  whatfoever,  unlefs 
"  there  be  a  Delight  in  the  Worfhip  of  God,  and  in  Con- 
"  verfe  with  Him,  unlefs  every  Appetite  be  brought  into 
"  Subjection  to  Reafon  and  Truth,  and  unlefs  there  be 
"  a  kind  and  benevolent  Difpofition  towards  our  Fellow- 
"  Creatures,  how  can  the  Mind  be  fit  to  dwell  with  God, 
*'  in  his  Houfe  and  Family,  to  do  him  Service  in  hi* 
*c  Kingdom,  and  to  promote  the  Happinefs  of  any  Part 
•«  of his  Creation?"— And  in  his  Key,  §  255.  f\  145:, 

&c^ 


64  The  Generality  of  Part  1. 

&c.  fhewing  there,  what  it  is  to  be  a  true  Chrift'mn,  He 
fays,  among  other  Things,  "  That  he  is  one  who  has 
<c  fuch  a  Senfe  and  Perfuafion  of  the  Love  of  God  in 
<c  Chrift,  that  he  devotes  his  Life  to  the  Honour  and 
c<  Service  of  God,  in  Hope  of  eternal  Glory.  And  that 
<z  to  the  Character  of  a  true  Chriftian,  it  is  absolutely 
"  neceflary,  that  he  diligently  ftudy  the  Things'  that  are 
M  freely  given  him  of  God,  viz.  his  Election,  Regenera- 
"  tion,  &c.  that  he  may  gain  am  ft  Knowledge  of  thofe 
"  ineftimable  Privileges,  may  tafte  that  the  Lord  is  gra- 
*•  cious,  and  rejoyce  in  the  Gofpel-Salvation,  as  his 
"  greatefl  Happinefs  and  Glory.— — 'Tis  neceflary,  that 
"  he  work  thefe  BlelTings  on  his.  Heart,  'till  they  become 
*c  a  vital  Principle,  producing  in  him  the  Love  of  God, 
"  engaging  him  to  all  chearful  Obedience  to  his  Will, 
"  giving  him  a  proper  Dignity  and  Elevation  of  Soul, 
*'  raifing  him  above  the  belt  and  word  of  this  World, 
"  carrying  his  Heart  into  Heaven,  and  fixing  his  Affec- 
*'  tions  and  Regards  upon  his  evcrlafting  Inheritance,  and 

*'  the  Crown  of  Glory  laid  up  for  him  there. Thus 

"  he  is  armed  againlt  all  the  Temptations  and  Trials, 
"  refulting  from  any  Pleafure  or  Pain,  Hopes  or  Fears, 
"  Gain  or  Lofs,  in  the  prefent  World.  None  of  thefe 
M  things  move  him,  from  a  faithful  Difcharge  of  any  Part 
"  of  his  Duty,  or  from  a  firm  Attachment  to  Truth  and 
"  Righteoufhefs :  neither  counts  he  his  very  Life  dear  to 
"  him,  that  he  may  do  the  Will  of  God,  and  finifh - kis 
*'  Courfe  with  Joy,  in  a  Senfe  of  the  Love  of  God  and 
"  Chrift.  He  maintains  daily  Communion  with  God, 
4t  by  reading  &  meditating  on  his  Word.  In  a  Senfe  of  his 
**  ownInfirmity,and  theReadinefs  of  the  divine  Favour  to 
u  fuccour  him,  he  daily  addreffes  the  Throne  of  Grace, 
*'  for  the  Renewal  of  fpiritual  Strength  ;  and  in  Afllirance 
"  of  obtaining  it,  thro'  one  Mediator  Chrift.  Jefus,  en- 
"  lightened  and  directed  by  the  heavenly  Doctrine  of  the 
"  Gofpel,  &c."  *  Now 

*  What  Dr.  Turnbull  fays  of  the  Charaaer  of  a  good  Man,  it 
alfo  worthy  to  be  obferved,  CbriJ.  Phil,  P.  §6,  258,  259, 
288>  375>  376>  4Q9>  4*e« 


ScT^vii  V      Mankind  are  TFichd.         65 

Now  I  leave  it  to  be  judged  by  every  One  that  has  any 
Degree  of  Impartiality,  whether  there  be  not  fufficient 
Ground's  to  think,  from  what  appears  every  where,  that 
it  is  but  a  very  fmall  Part  indeed,  of  the  many  Myriads 
and  Million?  which  overfpread  this  Globe,  who  are  of  a 
Character  that  In  any  wife  anfwers  thefe  Defcriptions. 
However,  Dr.  Tl  infifls,that  all  Nations,  and  every  Man 
on  theFace  of  the  Earth,  have  Light  and  Means  fufficient 
to  do  the  whole  Will  of  God,  even  they  that  live  in  the 
grofTeft  Darknefs  of  Paganifrm 

Dr.  Tl  in  Anfwer  to  Arguments  of  this  Kind,  very 
impertinently  fromTime  to  Time  objects,  \  That  we  are 
no  Judges  of  the  Vicioufnefs  of  Men's  Character,  nor  are 
able  to  decide  in  whatDegree  they  are  virtuous  or  vicious. 
As  tho'  we  could  have  no  goodGrounds  to  judge, that  any 
thing,appertaining  to  theQualities  orFropertiesortheMind, 
which  is  invifible,  is  general  or  prevailing  among  a  Miilti- 
tude'or  collective  Body,  unlefs  we  can  determine  how  it 
is  with  each  Individual.  I  think,!  have  fufficient Reafon, 
from  what  I  know  8c  have  heard  of  fat  American  Indians, 
tojudge,  that  there  are  not  many  goodPhilofophers  among 
them  ;  tho'  the  Thoughts  of  their  Hearts,  and  the  Ideas 
and  Knowledge  they  have  in  their  Minds,  are  Things  in- 
vifible ;  and  tho'  1  have  never  feen  fo  much  as  the 
thoufandth  Part  of  the  Indians  ;  and  with-  refpedt  to 
moft  of  them,  fhould  not  be  able  to  pronounce  peremp- 
torily, concerning  any  one,  that  he  was  not  very  knowing 
in  the  Nature  of  Things,  if  all  fhould  fingly  pafs  before 
me.  And  Dr.  T.  himfelf  feems  to  be  fenfible  of  the 
Falfenefs  of  his  own  Conclufions,  that  he  fo  often  urges 
againfl  others  ;  if  we  may  judge  by  his  Practice,  and  the 
Liberties  he  takes,  in  judging  of  aMultitude  himfelf.  He, 
it  feems,  is  fenfible  that  a  Man  may  have  good  Grounds 
to  judge,  that  Wickednefs  of  Character  is  general  in  a 
collective  Body  j  becaufe  he  openly  does  it  Himfelf, 
{Key,  P.   147.)     After' declaring  the  Things  which  be- 

F  long 

t  P.  32?>  339>  340*  343-  344>  34$.     \ 


66  Wichdnefs  general         Part  I. 

long  to  the  Character  of  a  true  Chriftian,  he  judges  of  the 
Generality  of  Christians,  that  they  have  cad  off  thefe 
Things,  that  they  are  a  People  that  do  err  in  their 
Hearts,  and  have  not  known  God's  Ways.  P.  259,  he 
judges,  that  the  Generality  cf  Chrijlians  are  the  mofl 
Wicked  of  all  Mankind,  — when  he  thinks  it  will  throw 
icrocDifgrace  on  theOpinion  of  fuch  as  he  oppofes.  The 
like  we  have  from  Time  to  Time  in  other  Places,  as  P. 
j  68.  P.  258.  Key,  P.  182. 

But  if  Men  are  not  fufficient  Judges,  whether  there  arc 
Few  of  the  World  of  Mankind  but  what  are  Wicked, 
yet  doubtlefs  God  is  fufficient,  and  his  Judgment,  often 
declared  in  his  Word,  determines  the  Matter.  Matth.  vii. 
1 3,  14.  Enter  ye  in  at  the  Jlrait  Gate  :  For  wide  is 
the  Gate,  and  broad  is  the  Way  that  leadeth  to  T)e- 
Jlruclion,and  many  there  be  that  go  in  thereat  ;  Becaufe 
Jlrait  is  the  Gate,  and  narrow  is  the  Way  that  leadeth 
to  Life,  and  jew  there  be  that  find  it,  ?Tis  manifeft, 
that  here  Chrift  is  not  only  defcribing  the  State  of  things, 
as  it  was  at  that  Day,  and  don't  mention  the  comparative 
Smallnefsof  theNumberof  them  that  are  faved,as  a  Con- 
frequence  of  the  peculiar  Per'verfenefs  of  that  People,  and 
of  that  Generation  ;  but  as  a  Confequence  of  the  general 
Circumftanc.cs  of  the  Way  to  Life,  and  the  Way  to  De- 
ilru&ion,  the  Broadnefs  of  the  one,  and  Narrownefs  of 
the  other.  In  the  Straitnefs  of  the  Gate,  &x.  I  fuppofe 
none  will  deny,  that  Chrift  hasRefpecl:  to  theStri&nefs  of 
thofe  Rules,  which  he  had  infilled  on  in  the  preceeding 
Sermon,  &  which  render  theWay  toLife  very  difficult  to 
Mankind.  But  certainly  thefe  amiable  Rules  would  not 
fee  difficult,  were  they  not  contrary  to  the  natural  Incli- 
nations of  Men'sHearts ;  and  they  would  not  be  contrary 
to  thofe  Inclinations,  were  thefe  not  depraved.  Confe- 
quently  the  Widenefs  of  the  Gate,  and  Broadrrefs  of  the 
Way  that  leads  to  DeftrucHon,  in  Confequence  of  which 
many  go  in  thereat,  mud  imply  the  Agreeablenefs  of  this 
Way  to  Men's  natural  Inclinations.-  The  like  Reafon  is 
given  by  Chrilt,  why  few  are  faved.  Luke "xiii.  23,  24. 

Then 


SSSk  f        in  al1  A^>  67 

Then  /aid  one  unto  him,  Lord,  are  there  few  faved  t 
And  he  /aid  unto  them,  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  ftrait 
Gate:  for  many,  I  fay  unto  you,  will  feek  to  enter  in, 
andfball  not  be  able.     That  there  are  generally  but  few 
good  Men  in  the  World,  even  among  them  that  have  thofe 
moft  diftingufliing  &  glorious  Advantages  for  it,which  they 
are  favoured  with  that  live  under  the  Gofpel,  is  evident 
by  that  Saying  of  our  Lord,  from  Time  to  Time  in  his 
Mouth,  Many  are  called,  but  fezv  are  chofen.     And  if 
there  are  but  few  among  thefe,  how  few,  how  very  few 
indeed,  muft  Perfons  of  this  Character  be,  compared  with 
the  whole  World  of  Mankind  i  The  exceeding  Small nefs 
of  the  Number  of  true  Saints,  compared  with  the  whole 
W  orldi  appears  by  the  Reprefentations  often  made  of  them 
as  diilmgtnihed  from  the  World  ;  in  which  they  are  fpoken 
of  as  called  and  chofen  out  of  the  World,  redeemed  from 
the  Earth,  redeemed  from  among  Men  ;  as  being  thofe 
that  are  of  God,  while  the  whole  World  lieth  in  Wicked- 
nefs,  and  the  like.     And  if  we  look  into   the  Old  Tefta- 
ment,we  mall  find  the  fameTeftimony  given.    Prov.  xx.  6. 
Moft  Men  will  proclaim  every  Man  his  ozvn  Good  nefs  .- 
but  a  faithful  Man  who  can  find  f  By  a  faithful  Man, 
as  the  Phrafe  is  ufed  in  Scripture,  is  intended  much  the 
lame  as  a  fincere,  upright  or  truly  good  Man  ;  as  in  Pfal. 
xii.  i.  and  xxxi.  23.  and  ci.  6.  and  other  Places.'    Again] 

Eccl.  vn.   25, 29.     I  applied  mine  Heart  to  know, 

and  tofearch,and  to  find  out  Wifdom,  and  the  Reafon  of 
Things,  and  to  know  the  Wickednefs  of  Folly,  even  of 
Foolifhnefs  and  Madnefs  :  And  I  find  more  bitter  than 

'Death,  the  Woman  whofe  Heart  is  Snares,  &c— . 

Behold,  this  have  I  found,  faith  the  Preacher,  counting; 
one  by  one,  to  find  out  the  Account,  which  yet  my  Soul 
feeketh,  but  I  find  not  :  One  Man  among  a  Thoufand 
have  I  found  ;  but  a  Woman  among  all  thefe  have  I  not 
found.  Lo,  this  only  have  1  found,  that  God  made  Man 
upright  ;  but  they  have  fought  out  many  Inventions. 
Solomon  here  fignifles,  that  when  he  fet  himfelf  diligently 
xp  find  out  the  Account  or  Proportion  of  true  WiTdom, 

F  2  or 


63  Wkhdnefs  general  Part  L 

©r  thorough  Uprightnefs  among  Men,  the  Refttlt  was, 
that  he  found  it  to  be  but  as  one  to  a  Thoufand.  &<\ 
Dr.  T.  on  thisPlace,  P.  1 84.  fays,  "  The  wlfeMan  inthe 
*'  Context  is  inquiring  into  the  Corruption  and  Depra- 
*«  vity  of  Mankind,  of  the  Men  and  Women,  THAT 
V  LIV'D  IN  HIS  TIME."  As  tho'  what  He  faid 
reprefented  Nothing  of  the  State  of  Things  in  theWorkl 
in  general,but  only  in  hisT'ime.  But  doesDr,  Tl  or  any 
Body  elfe  fuppofe  this  only  to  be  theDefign  of  that  Book, 
to  reprefent  the  Vanity  and  Evil  of  the  World  in  that 
Time,  and  to  fhew  that  all  was  Vanity  and  Vexation  of 
Spirit  mSolomons  Day  ?  (WhichDay  truly  we  haveRea- 
ion  to?  think,  was  a  Day  of  the  greateft  Smiles  of  Heaven 
on  that  Nation,  that  ever  had  been  on  any  Nation  from 
the  Foundation  of  the  World.)  Not  only  does  the  Sub- 
ject and  Argument  of  the  whole  Book  fhew  it  to  be  other- 
wife  ;  but  alfo  the  declared  Defign  of  the  Book  in  the 
iirit  Chapter  ;  where  the  World  is  reprefented  as  very 
jnuch  the  Jame,  as  to  the  Vanity  and  Evil  it  is  full  of,  from 
Age  to  Age,  making  little  or  no  Progrefs,  after  all  it's 
Revolutions  &  reftlefs  ^otions,Laboursand  Purfuits,  like 
the  Sea,  that  has  ail  the  Rivers  confiantly  emptying  them- 
felves  into  it,  from  Age  to  Age,  and  yet  is  never  the  fuller. 
.As  to  that  Place,  Prov.  xx.  6.  A  faithful  Man  who  can 
fndf  there  is  no  moreReafon  to  fuppofe,  that  the  wife 
Man  has  refpe<5t  only  to  hzsT'ime,  in  thefe  Words,  than  in 
thofe  immediately  preceeding,  Counfel  in  the  Heart  of -a 
JMan  is  like  deep  Waters  ;  but  a  Man  of  Under/land* 
hlg  will  draw  it  out.-  Or  in  the  Words  next  following, 
yhejujl  Man  walketh  in  his  Integrity  :  his  Children 
are  hkJTed  after  him.  Or, '  in  any  other  Proverb  in  the 
whole  Book.  And  if  it  were  fo,  that  Solomon  in  thefe 
things  meant  only  to  defcribe  his  own  Times,  it  would 
not  at  all  weaken  the  Argument.  For,  if  we  ob ferve  the 
3Hiilory  of  the  Old  Tellament,  there  is  Reafon  to  think 
there  never  was  any  Time  from  Jofhua  to  the  Captivity, 
wherein  Wickednefs  was  more  retrained,  and  Virtue  and 
Religion  more  encouraged  and  promoted,  than  in  'David's. 

and 


fSvi]  ^  all  Ages,      '  69 

and  Solomon's  Times.  And  if  there  was  fo  iifcde  true 
Piety  in  that  Nation  that  was  the  only  People  of  Gcd 
underHeaver^ven  in  their  very  be(tTimes,what  may  we 
fuppofe  concerning  the  World  in  general,  take  one  Time 
with  another  ?  -  , 

Notwithftanding  what  fome  Authors  advance  concern- 
ing the  Prevalence  of  Virtue,  Honefty,  good  Neighbour- 
hood, Cheerfulnefs,  &c.  in  the  World,  Solomon,  whom 
we  may  juftly  efteem  as  wife  and  juir.  an  Obferver  of 
human  Nature,  and  the  State  of  the  World  of  Mankind, 
as  moft  in  thefe  Days  (befides,  Chriftians  ought  to  remem- 
ber, that  he  wrote  by  divine  Infpiration)  judged  the  World 
to  be  fo  full  of  Wickednefs,  that  it  was  better  never  to 
be  bom,  than  to  be  born  to  live  only  in  fuch  a  World. 
Eccl.  iv.  at  the  Beginning,  So  I  returned  and  confidered 
all  the  Opprejfions  that  are  done  under  the  Sun  ;  and 
behold,  the  Tears  of  fuch  as  were  opprtjfed,  and  they 
had  no  Comforter  :  and  on  the  Side  of  their  Oppreffbrs? 
there  was  Power  ;  but  they  had  no  Comforter.  IVhere* 
fore,  I praifed  the  dead,  which  were  already  dead,  more 
than  the  living  which  are  yet  alive,  Tea,  better  is  he  than 
both  they,  which  hath  not  yet  been  ;  WHO  HATH 
NOT  SEEN  THE  EVIL  WORK  THAT  IS 
T>ONE  UNDER  THE  SUN.  Surely  it  will  not 
be  faid,  that  Solomon  has  only  refpect.  to  his  Times  here 
too,  when  hefpeaks  of  the  Oppreflions  of  them  that  were 
in  Power  ;  fince  He  himfejf,  and  others  appointed  by 
him,  and  wholly  under  his  Controul,  were  the  Men  that 
were  inPower,  in  that  Land,  and  in  almoft  ail  neighbour- 
ing Countries. 

The  fame  infpired  Writer  fays,  Ecclef.  ix.  3.  The 
Heart  of  the  Sons  of  Men  is  full  of  Evil  \  and  Madnefs 
is  in  their  Heart  while  they  live  ;  and  after  that  they 
go  to  the  dead.  If  thefe  general  Expreffions  are  to  be 
underilood  only  of  fome,  and  thofe  the  leffer  Part,  when 
in  general,  Truth,  Honefty,  Good-Nature,  &c.  govern  the 
World,  why  are  fuch  general  Expreffions  from  Time  to 
Time  ufed  ?  Why  don't  this  wife  and  noble,  and  great- 

F  3  foul'd 


jo  Wicludnefs  general  Part  I. 

foul'd  Prince  exprefs  himfelf  in  a  more  generous  and  be- 
nevolent Strain,  as  well  as  more  agreeable  to  Truth,  and 
fay,  Wifdom  is  in  the  Hearts  of  the  Sons  of  Men  while 
they  live,  &c.-r-in  Stead  of  leaving  in  bis  Writings  fo 
many  fly,  ill-natur'd  Suggestions,  which  pour  fuch  Con- 
tempt on  the  human  Nature,  and  rend  fo  much  to  excite 
mutual  Jealoufy  and  Malevolence,  to  taint  the  Minds  of 
Mankind  thro'  all  Generations  after  him  ? 

If  we  confider  the  various  fucceffive  Parts  and  Periods 
of  theDuration  of  theWrorld,it  will, if  pofiible,be  yet  more 
evident,  that  vaftly  the  greater  Part  cf  Mankind  have  in 
all  Ages  been  of  a  wickedCharacter.  The  fliort  Accounts 
we  have  of  Adam  and  his  Family  are  fuch  as  lead  us  to 
fuppofe,  that  far  the  greater  Part  of  his  Pofterky,  in  his 
Life-time,  yea,  in  the  formerPart  of  his  Life,  were  Wicked, 
It  appears,  that  his  elded  Son,  Cain,  was  a  very  wicked 
Man,  who  flew  his  righteous  Brother  Abel.  And  Adam 
lived  an  hundred  and  thirty  Years  before  Seth  was  born  : 
And  by  that  Time,  we  may  fuppofe,his  Poflerity  began  to 
be  confiderably  numerous  :  When  he  was  born,  his  Mo- 
ther called  his  Name  Seth  ;  for  God,  faid  She,  hath 
appointed  me  another  Seed,  in  Stead  of  Abel.  "Which  na-* 
turally  fuggefis  this  to  ourThoughts ;  That  of  all  herSeed 
now  exifting,  none  were  of  any  fuchNote  for  Religion  and 
Virtue,as  that  theirParents  could  have  any  greatCcmfort  in 
them,  or  Expectation  from  'em  on  that  Account.  And  by 
the  brief  Hiftory  we  have,  it  looks  as  if  (however  there 
might  be  fomelntervals  of  a  Revival  of  Religion,  yet)  in 
the  general,  Mankind  grew  more  and  more  corrupt  till 
the  Flood.  'Tis  Cjgnifiecl,  that  when  Men  began  to  mul- 
tiply on  the  Face  of  the  Earth,  Wickednefs,  prevailed 
exceedingly,  Gen.  vi.  at  the  Beginning.  And  that  before 
God  appeared  to  Noah,  to  command  him  to  build  the  Ark, 
1 20  Years  before  the  Flood,  the  World  had  long  continued 
obftinate  in  great  and  genera] "Wickednefs,  and  the  Difeafe 
was  become  inveterate.  The  Expreiiions  we  have  in  the 
2,  5,  and  6  Vexfes  of  thatChap.  fuggeft  as  much  :  And 
,  the  lord  faid,  My  f pint  Jball  not  ALJVATS  ftriye 

zvith 


Sect.vii.5  ^  ' 

with  Man. And  God  faiv,   that  the  Wickednefs  of 

Man  -was  great  on  the  Earthy  and  that  every  Imagina- 
tion of  the  'Thoughts  of  his  Heart  was  evil,  only  evil 
CONTINUALLY ;  and  it  repented  the  Lord,that  he 
had  made  Man  on  the  Earth,  and  it  grieved  him  at  his? 
Heart.  And  by  that  Time  all  Flejh  had  corrupted  his 
Way  upon  the  Earth,  f.  12.  And  as  Dr.  T.  himfelf 
obferves,  P.  122.  '*"  Mankind  were  univerfally  debauch' d 
**  into  Luff,  Senfuality,  Rapine  and  Injuftice." 

And  with  refpect  to  the  Period  after  the  Flood,  to  the 
Calling  of  Abraham  ;  Dr.  T.  fays,  as  has  been  already 
obferved,  that  in  about  400  Years  after  the  Flood,  the 
Generality  of  Mankind  were  fallen  into  Idolatry.  Which 
was  before  the  paflingaway  of  one  Generation  ;  or  before 
all  they  were  dead,  that  came  out  of  the  Ark.  And  it 
can't  be  thought,  the  World  jumpt  into  that  fb  general 
and  extreme  Degree  of  Corruption,  all  at  once  ;  but  that 
they  had  been  gradually  growing  more  and  more  corrupt ; 
tho'  it  is  true,  it  mult  be  by  very  fwift  Degrees,  (however 
foon  we  may  fuppofe  they  began) — to  get  to  that  Pafs  in 
one  Age. 

And  as  to  the  Period  from  the  Calling  of  Abraham  to 
the  Coming  of  'Chrift,  Dr.  T.  juftly  obferves  as  follows 
{Key  P.  190.)  "  If  we  reckon  from  the  Call  of  Abra- 
u  ham  to  the  Coming  of  Chriit.,  xhtjewi/h  Difpenfation 
*'  continued  One  Thoufand  nine  Hundred  &  twenty-one 
"  Years  :  during  which  Period,  the  other  Families  and 
"  Nations  of  the  Earth,  not  only  lay  out  of  God's  pecu- 
"  HarKingdom,fcut  alfo  lived  in  Idolatry,  great  Ignorance, 
"  and  Wickednefs."  •And  with  Regard  to  that  one  only 
exempt  Family  or  Nation  of  the  Ifraelites,  'tis  evident 
that  Wickednefs  was  the  generally  prevailing  Character 
among  them,  from  Age  to  Age.  If  we  confider  how  it 
was  with  Jacob's  Family,  the  Behaviour  of  Reuben  with 
his  Father's  Concubine,  the  Behaviour  of  Judah  with 
Tamar,  the  Conduct  of  Jacob's,  Sons  in  general  (tho* 
Simeon  and  Levi  were  leading)  towards  the  Shechemites, 
the  Behaviour  of  Jofeph's  tea  Brethren  in  their  cruel 

F  4  Treatment 


7  2  Wickednefs  general  Part  U 

Treatment  of  him  ;  we  can't  think,  that  the  Character  of 
true  Piety  belpnged  to  many  of  them,  according  to  Dr. 
■3~L_r  s  own  Notion  of  fuch  a  Character  ;  tho'  it  be  true, 
they  might  afterwards  repent. — And  with  refpecl:  to  the 
Time  the  Children  of  Ifrael  were  in  Egypt  ;  the  Scrip- 
ture, fpeaking  of  them  in  general,  or  as  a  collective  Body, 
often  reprefenis  them  as  complying  with  the  abominable 
Idolatries  of  the  Country.*  And  as  to  that  Generation 
which  went  out  of  Egypt,  and  wandred  in  the  Wilder- 
nefs ;  they  are  abundantly  reprefented  as  extremely  and 
almofl  univerfally  wicked,  perverfe,  and  Children  of  di- 
vine Wrath. — And  after  Jojhua's  Death,  the  Scripture  is 
very  exprefs,  that  Wickednefs  was  the  prevailing  Charac- 
ter in  the  Nation,  from  Age  to  Age.  So  it  was  till 
Samuel's  Time,  i  Sam.  viii.  7,  8.  They  have  rejecled 
me,  that  IJhould  not  reign  over  them  ; .  according  to  all 
their  Works  which  they  have  done,  fine e  the 'Day  that  I 
brought  them  out  of  Egypt,  unto  this  'Day.  Yea,  fo  it 
was  °till  Jeremiah's  and  EzekiePs  Time,  Jer.  xxxii.  30, 
31.  For  the  Children  s/Tfrael,  and  the  Children  of 
Judah,  have  only  done  Evil  before  me  from  their  Youth  ; 
for  the  Children  of  Ifrael  have  only  provoked  me  to  Anger 
with  the  Work  of  their  Hands,  faith  the  Lord  :  For 
this  City  hath  been  to  me  a  Provocation  of  mine  Anger, 
end  of  my  Fury,  from  the  Day  they  built  it,  even  unto 
this  Day.  (Compare  Chap.  v.  21,  and  23.  and  Chap.  vii. 
25,  2  6,  27.)  So,  Ezek.  ii.  3,  4.  I  fend  thee  to  theChildren' 
cf  Ifrael,  to  a  rebellious  JN raiion,that  hath  rebelled  againji 
me,  they  and  their  Fathers  have  tranfgreffed  againji  me 
even  unto  this  very  Day  :  for  they  are  impudent  Chil- 
dren, Mi&ftiff -hearted.—  And  it  appears  by  the  Difcourfe 
©f  Stephen  (Acts  vii.)  that  this  was  generally  the  Cafe 
with  tha|;  Nation,  from  their  firft  Rife,  even  to  the  Days 
of  the  Apoftles.  After  his  fummary  Rehearftl  of  the 
Inftances  of  their  Perverfenefs  from  the  very  Time  of 
their  {dYmgJofeph  into£^;^,he  concludes(y.  51^2,53.) 

Ye 
i»  ■ 

*  Levit.  xvii.  7.  Jom.  v.  9.  2nd  xxiv.  14.  Ezek.  xx.  7,  8. 
and  xxiii.  3. 


Ye  ftiff-necked,  and  uncircumcifed  in  Heart  and  Ears, 
ye  do  ALWAYS  rejift  the  Holy  Ghoft.  As  your  Fa- 
thers did,  fo  do  ye.  Which  of  the  Prophets  have  not 
your Fathers  perfecutedf  And  they  have/lain  them  which 
fietved  before  of  the  Coming  of  that  jufl  One,  of  whom 
Te  have  been  now  the  Betrayers  and  Murderers  :  Who 
have  received  the  Law  by  the  TDifpofition  of  Angels,  and 
have  not  kept  it. 

Thus  it  appears,  that  Wickednefs  was  the  generally 
prevailing  Character  in  all  the  Nations  of    Mankind,  lill 
Chrift  came.     And  fo  alfo  it  appears  to  have  been  fince 
his  Coming,  to  this  Day.     So  in  the  Age  of  the  Apoftles ; 
tho*  then,  among  thofe  that  were  converted  to  Chriftianity, 
were  great  Numbers  of  Perfons  eminent  for  Piety  ;  yet 
this  was  not  the  Cafe  with  the  Greater  Part  of  the  World, 
or  the  greater  Part  of  any  one  Nation  in  it.     There  was 
a  great  Number  of  Perfons  of  a  truly  pious  Character  in 
the  latter  Part  of  the  apoftolick  Age,  when  Multitudes  of 
Converts  had  been  made,  and  Chriflianity  was  as  yet  in 
it's  primitive  Purity.     But  what  fays  the  Apoftle  John 
of  the  Church  of  God  at  that  Time,  as  compared  with 
the  Reft  of  the  World  ?   i  Joh.  v.    19.     We. know  that 
%ue  are  of  God,  and  the  whole  World  lieth  in  Wickednefs. 
And  after  Chriftianity  came  to  prevail,  to  that  Degree.that 
Chriftians  had  the  upper  Hand  in  Nations  and  civilCom- 
munities,  ftill  the  greater  Part  of  Mankind  remain'd  in 
their  old  Heathen  State ;  which  Dr.  Tl  fpeaks  of  as  a 
State  of  great  Ignorance  and  Wickednefs.     And  betides, 
this  is  noted  in  all  Ecclefiaftical  Hiftory,  that  as  the 
Chriftians  gain'd  in  Power  and  fecular  Advantages,  true 
Piety  declined,  and  Corruption  and  Wickednefs  prevail'd 
among  them. — And  as  to  the  State  of  the  Chriftian  World, 
iince  Chriftianity  began  to  be  eftablifhed  by  human  Laws, 
Wickednefs  for  the  mod  Part  has  greatly  prevailed  ;  as  is 
very  notorious,    and  is  implied   in  what  Dr.  T.  himfelf 
fays  :  He,  in  giving  an  Account  how  the  Doctrine  of 
Original  Sin  came  to  prevail  among  Chriftians,  fays,  P. 
443.  "  That  the  Chriftian  Religion  was  very  early  and 

j*  grievouily 


74    Conjlant  general  Wickedness    Part  I. 

<e  grievonily  corrupted,by  dreaming,ignoranr,fuperftitious 
<c  Monks."  In  P.  259.  he  fays,  "  The  Generality  of 
••  Chriilians  have  embraced  this  Perfuaiion  concerning 
"  Original  Sin  ;  and  the  Confequence  has  been, 
"  that  the  Generality  of  Christians  have  been  the  moft 
"  wicked,  lewd,  bloody  and  treacherous  of  z\\.  ankind.* 
Thus,  a^View  of  the  feveral  fucceffive  Peribds  of  the 
all  Duration  of  the  World,  froth  tlie  Beginning  to  this 
ay,  fhevvs,:hat  %  Ickednefs  has  ever  been  exceeding  pre- 
valent, and  has  had  vaitly  the  Superiority  in  the  World. 
And  Dr  T.  himfelf  in  Effect  owns,  tore  it  1  as  been  fo 
ever  fince  Adam  firil  turned  into  the.  Way  of  Tranfgref- 
fion.  P.  168.  "  It  is  Certain  (lays  he)  the  moral  Cir~ 
•«  cumftances  of  Mankind,  fince  the  Time  Adam  flrfl 
"  turned  into  the  Way  of  Tranfgreifion,  hkve  been  very 
*c  different  from  a  State  of  Innocence.  So  far  as  we  can 
"  judge  fr°m  Hiftory^,  or  what  we  know  at  prefent,  the 
c<  greateft  Part  of  Mankind,  have  been,  and  flill  are  very 
"  corrupt ;  tho'  not  equally  fo  in  every  Age  and  Place." 
And  lower  in  the  fame  Page,  he  fpeakfrof  iddams  P of- 
feri ty,  as  having  funk  themf elves  into  the  mo  ft  lamenta- 
ble 'Degrees  of  Ignorance,  Superflition,  Idolatry,  In- 
juftice,  Debauchery,  &c. 

Thefe  Things  clearly  determine  the  Point,  concerning 
the  Tendency  of  Man's  Nature  toWickednefs,  if  we  may 
be  allowed  to  proceed  according  to  fuch  Rules  &  Methods 
of  Reafoning,  as  are  univerfaily  made  ufe  of,  and  never 
denied,  or  doubted  to  be  good  and  fure,  in  experimental 
Philofophy  ;  *  or  may  reafon  fromExperience  and  Facls, 
in  that  Manner  which  common  Senfe  leads  all  Mankind 
to  in  other  Cafes.  If  Experience  and  Trial  will  evince 
any  thing  at  all  concerning  the  natural  Difpofition  of  the 

Hearts 



*  Dr.  Turnbuli,  tho'  fo  great  an  Enemy  to  the  Doctrine  of  the 
Depravity  of  Nature,  yet  greatly  infifts  upon  it,  that  the 
experimental  Method  of  Reafoning  ought  to  be  gone  into 
in  moral  Matters,  and  Things  pertaining  to  the  human 
Nature  ;  and  mould  chiefly  be  relied  upon,  in  moral,  as 
well  as  natural  Philofophy*    See  intrtidua*  to  Mqu  Pbii 


«ECTPvii  £  Proves'  Corruption  of  Nature.   75 

Hearts  of  Mankind,  one  would  think  the  Experience  of 
fo  many  Ages  as  have  elapfed  fince  the  Beginning  of  the 
World,  and  the  Trial  as  it  were  made  by  Hundreds  of 
different  Nations  together,  for  fo  long  a  Time,  mould  be 
fufficient  to  convince  all,  that  Wickednefsis  agreeable  to 
the  Nature  of  Mankind  in  it's  prefent  State. 

Here,  to  flrengrhen  the  Argument,  if  there  were  any 
Need  of  it,  I  might  obferve  fome  further  Evidences  than 
thofe  which  have  been  already  mentioned,  not  only  of  the 
TLxtent  and  Generality  of  the  Prevalence  of  Wickednefs 
in  the  World,  but  of  the  Height  to  which  it  has  rifen, 
and  the  Degree  in  which  it  has  reigned.  Among  innu- 
merable Things  which  fhew  this,  I  mall  now  only  obferve 
this,  viz.  the  Degree  in  which  Mankind  have  from  Age 
to  Age  been  hurtful  one  to  another.  Many  Kinds  of 
brute  Animals  are  efteemed  very  noxious  and  deftrucYive, 
many  of 'em  very  fierce,  voracious,&  many  very  poifonous, 
and  the  deftroying  of  'em  has  always  been  looked  upon  as 
a  public  Benefit  :  but  have  not  Mankind  been  a  Thou- 
fand  Times  as  hurtful  and  deftructive  as  any  one  of  them, 
yea,  as  all  the  noyous  Beafls,  Birds,  Fifties  and  Reptiles 
in  the  Earth,  Air  and  Water, put  together,-  at  leaft,  of  all 
Kinds  of  Animals  that  are  vifible  ?  And  no  Creature  can 
be  found  any  where  fo  deftruclive  of  it's  own  Kind,  as 
Mankind  are.  All  others  for  the  mod:  Part  are  harmlefs 
and  peaceable, with  regard  to  their  ownSpecies.  Where  cne 
Wolf  is  deft royed  by  another  Wolf,  one  Viper  by  another, 
probably  aThoufand  of  Mankind  are  deftroyed  by  thofe 
of  their  own  Species.  Well  therefore  might  our  b'eiTed 
Lord  fay,  when  fending  forth  hisDifciples  into  the  World, 
Matth.  x.  i<5,  17.     Behold,  I  fend  you  forth  as  Sheep  in 

theMidjl  of  Wolves  ; BUT  BEWARE  OF  MEN. 

As  much  to  fay,I  fend  you  forth  asSheep  amongWolves.- — 
But  why  do  I  fay,  Wolves  ?  I  fend  you  forth  into  the 
wide  World  of  Men,  that  are  far  more  hurtful  and  per- 
nicious, and  that  you  had  much  mcrcNced  to  beware  of, 
than  Wolves. 

It 


j  6  Great  Means  ufed  Part  I. 

It  would  be  ftrange  indeed,  that  this  mould  be  theState 
of  the  World  of  Mankind,  the  chief  of  the  lower  Cre- 
ation, diftinguifhed  above  all  by  Reafon,  to  that  End  that 
they  might  be  capable  of  Religion,  which  fummarily  con- 
lifts  inLove,  if  Men,  as  they  dome  into  theWorld,  are  in 
their  Nature  innocent  and  harmlefs,  undepraved  and  per- 
fectly free  from  all  evil  Propenfities. 


Sect.     VIII. 

The  native  "Depravity  of  Mankind  appears,  in  that 
there  has  been  fo  little  good  Eff'efi  ofio  manifold 
and  great  Means,  tifedto  promote  Virtue  in  the 
World. 

THE  Evidence  of  the  native  Corruption  of  Mankind 
appears  much  more  glaring,  when  it  is  ccnfidered 
that  the  World  has  been  fo  generally,  fo  conilantly,  and 
fo  exceedingly  corrupt, notwitMtanding  the  various,  great 
and  continual  Means,  that  have  been  ufed  to  reurain  Men 
from  Sin,  and  promote  Virtue  and  true  Religion  among 
them. 

Dr.  T.  fuppofes,  all  that  Sorrow  and  "Death,  which 
came  on  Mankind,  in  Confequence  of  Adam's  Sin,  was 
brought  on  them  by  God,  in  great Favour  to  them  ;  as  a 
benevolent  Father  exercifing  an  zoholfom  'Difcipline  to- 
wards hisChildren  ;  to  reftrain  'em  from  Sin,by  increafing 
theVanity  of  all  earthly  Things,  to  abate  their  Force  to 
tembt  &  delude  ;  to  induce  ?em  to  be  moderate  in  grati* 
fying  the  Appetites  of  the  Body ;  to  mortify  Pride  and 
Ambition  ;  and  thatMen  might  alzuays  have  before  their 
Eyes  a  JlrikingDemonJlration,  that  Sin  is  infinitely  hate- 
ful to  God,  by  a  Sight  of  That,  than  -which  Nothing  is 
more  proper  to  give  them  the  utmoft  Abhorrence  of  Iniquity, 
and  to  fix  in  their  Minds  a  Senfe  of  the  dreadful  Con-' 
fequences  of  Sin,  &c.  &c.  And  in  general,that  they  don't 
come  as  funifhrnents,  but  purely  as  Means  to  keep  Men 

from 


£$«&]      i0  °PP°fe  tTickednefs.  71 

from  Vice,  and  to  make  them  better. — If  it  be  fo,  furely 
they  are  great  Means  indeed.     Here  is  a  mighty  Altera- 
tion :  Mankind,  once  fo  eafy  and  happy,healthful,  vigo- 
rous and  beautiful,  rich  in  all  the  pleafant   and  abundant 
BleiTings  of  Paradife,  now  turned  out,  deltitute,weak  and. 
decaying,  into  a  wide  barren  World,  yielding  Briars  and 
Thorns,  in  Stead  of  the  delightful  Growth  and  fweetFruit 
of  the  Garden  of  Eden,  to  wear  out  Life  in  Sorrow  and 
Toil,  on  the  Ground  curfed  for  his  Sake  ;  and  at  laft, 
either  through   long  Languishing  and  lingring  Decay,  or 
fevere  Pain  and  acute  Difeafe,  to  expire  and  turn  to  Pwtre- 
fa&ion  and  Duft.     If  thefe  are  only  ufed  as  Medicines, 
to  prevent  and  to  cure  the  Difeafes  of  the  Mind,  they  are 
Jharp  Medicines  indeed  ;  efpecially  Death ;  which,  to  ufe 
Hezekiah\  Reprefentation,  is  as  it  were  breaking  all  his 
Bones  :   And  one  would  think,  mould  be  very  effeaua!, 
if  the  Subjetf:  had  no  Depravity,  no  evil  and  contrary Biafs, 
to  refill  and  hinder  a  proper  EffecT: ;  efpecially  in  the  old 
World,  when  the  Thing  which  was  the  firft  Occafion  of 
this  terrible  Alteration,  this  feverity  of  Means,  was  frefh 
in  Memory  ;  Adam  continuing  alive  near  two  Thirds  of 
the  Time   that  pafled  before  the  Flood  ;'fo  that  a  very 
great  Part  of  thofe  that  were  alive  till  the  Flood,  might 
have  Opportunity  of  feeing  and  converfing  with  him,  and 
hearing  from  his  Mouth,  not  only  an  Account  of  his  Fall, 
and  the  Introduction  of  the  awful  Confequences  of  it,  but 
alfo  of  his  firft  finding  Himfelf  in  Exiftence  in  the  new- 
created  World,   and  of  the  Creation  of  Eve,  and   the 
Things  which  pafTed  between  him  and  his  Creator  in 
Paradife. 

But  what  was  the  Succefs  of  thefe  greatMeatfs,  to  re- 
train Men  from  Sin,  and  to  induce  them  to  Virtue  ? 
Did  they  prove  fufficient  ?— In  Stead  of  this,  the  World 
foon  grew  exceeding  corrupt ;  till  it  came  to  that,  to  ufe 
our  Author's  own  Words,  That  Mankind  were  univer- 
falty  debauch' d  into  Lull,  Senfuality,  Rapine  and  In- 
juftice. 

Then  God  ufcd  further  Means ;  He  fent  Noah,  a 

Preacher 


7  8  Great  Means  ufed  Part  I. 

Preacher  of  Righteoufnefs,  to  warn  the  World,of  the  uni- 
verfal  Deduction  which  would  come  upon  them  by  a 
Flood  of  Waters,  if  they  went  on  in  Sin.  Which  Warn- 
ing he  delivered  with  thefe  Circumftances,  tending  to 
ftrike  their  Minds,  and  command  their  Attention  ;  that 
be  immediately  went  about  building  that  vaftStru&ure  of 
the  Ark  ;  in  which  he  muff  employ  a  great  Number  of 
Hands,  and  probably  fpent  all  he  had  in  the  World  to  fave 
liimfelf&  hisFamily.  And  under  thefe  uncommonMeans, 
God  waited  upon  them  120  Years. — But  all  to  no  Effect 
The  whole  World,  for  ought  appears,  continued  obftinate, 
and  abfoiutely  incorrigible  :  So  that  Nothing  remain'd  to 
be  done  with  them,  but  utterly  to  deftroy  the  Inhabitants 
of  the  Earth  ;  and  to  begin  a  new  World,  from  that  fmgle 
Family  who  had  diitinguifhed  themfelves  by  their  Virtue  ; 
that  from  them  might  be  propagated  a  new  and  purer 
Race. — Accordingly  this  was  done  :  And  the  Inhabi- 
tants of  the  new  World,  of  Noah's  Pofterity,  had  thefe 
hew  and  extraordinary  Means  to  reftrain  Sin  and  excite 
Virtue,  in  Addition  to  the  Toil,  Sorrow,  and  common 
Mortality,  which  the  World  had  been  fubjecled  to  before 
in  Confequence  of  Admits  Sin  ;  viz.  that  God  had  new- 
ly teftified  his  dreadful  Difpleafure  for  Sin,  in  dehroying 
the  many  Millions  of  Mankind,  all  at  one  blow,  old  and 
young,  Men,  Women  and  Children,  without  Pity  on  any 
for  all  the  difmal  Shrieks  and  Cries  which  the  World  was 
filled  with  ;  when  they  themfelves,  the  remaining  Fa- 
mily, were  fo  wonderfully  diftinguifhed  by  God's  pre- 
ferring Goodnefs,  that  they  might  be  a  holy  Seed,  being 
delivered  from  the  corrupting  Examples  of  the  old  World ; 
and  being  all  theOffspring  of  a  living  Parent,  whofe  pious 
Jnftru&ions  andCounfels  they  had,  to  inforce  thefe  Things 
upon  them,  to  prevent  Sin,  and  engage  them  to  their 
Duty.  And  thefe  Inhabitants  of  the  new  Earth  mutt, 
for  a  long  Time,  have  before  their  Eyes  many  evident, 
and  as  it  were  freili  and  ftriking  Effects  and  Signs  of  that 
tmiverfed  Bcllruction,  to  be  a  continual  affecYmg  Admoni- 
tion to  'em*     And  befides  all  this,  God  now  ftortened  the 

Life 


sHAI>vin  \         i0  ?PP°fe  Wickednefs.  79 

Life  of  Man,  to  about  one  half  of  what  it  ufed  to  be. 
The  ihortning  Man's  Life,  Dr.  T.  fays,  P.  68.  "  Was, 
««  that  the  wild  Range  of  Ambition  and  Lull  might  be 
"  brought  into  narrower  Bounds,*  and  have  lefs  Oppor- 
"  tunity  of  doing  Mifchief ;  and  that  Death,being  ftill 
cc  nearer  to  our  View,  might  be  a  more  powerful  Motive 
44  to  regard  lefs  the  things  of  a  tranfitory  World,  and  to 
"  attend  to  the  Rules  of  Truth  and  Wifdom." 

And  now  let  us  oblerve  the  Confequence. Thefe 

new  and  extraordinary  Means,  in  Addition  to  the  former, 
were  fo  far  from  proving  liifficient,  that  the  new  World 
degenerated ,  and  became  corrupt,  by  filch  fwift  Degrees, 
that,  as  Dr.  T.  obferves,  Mankind  in  general  were  funk 
into  .Idolatry,  in  about  400  Years  after  the  Flood,  and 
fo  in  about  50  Tears  after  Noah's  Death :  They  be- 
came fo  v/icked  and  brutim,  as  to  forfake  the  true  God, 
and  turn  to  the  Worihip  of  inanimate  Creatures. 

When  Things  were  come  to  this  dreadful  Pafs,  God 
was  pleafed,for  a  Remedy,  to  introduce  a  new  and  won- 
derful Difpenfation  ;  feparating  a  particular  Family  and 
People,  from  all  the  reft  of  the  World,  by  a  Series  of 
molt  aftoniihing  Miracles,  done  in  the  open  View  of  the 
World  ;  and  fixing  their  Dwelling,  as  it  were  in  theMidft 
of  the  Earth,  between  jifia,  Europe  and  Africa,  and  in 
the  Midft  of  thofe  Nations  which  were  mofl:  confiderable 
and  famous  for  Power,  Knowledge  and  Arts  ;  that  God 
might,  in  an  extraordinary  Manner,  dwell  amongft  that 
People,  in  vifible  Tokens  of  his  Prefence,  manifefting 
himfelf  there,  and  from  thence  to  the  World,  by  a  Courfe 
of  great  and  miracuousOperations  and  EfFe&s,  for  many 
Ages  :  that  that  People  might  be  holy  to  God,  and  as  a 
Kingdom  of  Priefts,  and  might  ftand  as  a  City  on  an  Hill, 
to  be  a  Light  to  the  World  :  withal  gradually  ihortning 
Man's  Life,  till  it  was  brought  to  be  but  about  one 
twelfth  Part  of  what  it  ufed  to  be  before  the  Flood  ;  and 
fo,  according  to  Dr.  Tl — vaftly  cutting  off  and  diminifh- 
ing  his  Temptations  to  Sin,  and  increafing  his  Excitements 
to  Holinefs.— And  now  let  us  confider  what  the  guccefs 

of 


86     General  obftinate  JVkhednefs    Part  I« 

of  th efe  Means  was,  botli  as  to  the  Gentile  World,  and 
the  Nation  of  Ifrael. 

Dr.  ?.  juftly  obferves  {Key,  §  50.)  "  The  JewMi 
«*  Difpenfation  had  Refpe61  to  the  Nations  of  the  World, 
<c  to  fpread  the  Knowledge  and  Obedience  of  God  in  the 
"  Earth  ;  and  was  eftabliihed  for  the  Benefit  of  all  Man- 
u  kind." — But  how  unfuccefsful  were  thefe  Means,  and 
all  other  Means  ufed  with  the  Heathen  Nations,  fo  long 
as  this  Difpenfation  lafted  ?  Abraham  was  a  Perfon  noted 
in  all  the  principal  Nations  that  were  then  in  the,  World  ; 
as  in  Egypt,  and  the  eaftern  Monarchies  :  God  made 
his  Name  famous  by  his  wonderful  diftinguifhing  Difpen- 
fations  towards  him,  particularly  by  fo  miraculoufly  fub- 
duing  before  him,  and  his  trained  Servants,  thofe  Armies 
of  the  four  eaftern  Kings.  This  great  Work  of  the  mod 
High  God,  PofTefTor  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  was  greatly 
taken  Notice  of  by  Mdchizedeck  ;  and  one  would  think, 
fhould  have  been  fufficient  to  have  awakened  the  Atten- 
tion and  Confideration  of  all  the  Nations  in  that  Part  of 
the  World,  and  to  have  led  them  to  the  Knowledge  and 
Worfhip  of  the  only  true  God  ;  efpeciahy  if  considered 
in  Conjunction  wifh  that  miraculous  and  moft  terrible  De- 
finition of  Sodom,  and  all  the  Cities  of  the  Plain,  for 
their  Wickednefs,  with  Lofs  miraculous  Deliverance  ; 
which  doubtlefs  were  Facts,  that  in  their  Day  were  much 
famed  abroad  in  the  World.  But  there  is  not  the  lead 
Appearance,  in  any  Accounts  we  have,of  any  considerable 
good  Effect  On  the  contrary,  thofe  Nations  which 
were  moft  in  the  Way  of  obferving  and  being  affected 
with  thefe  things,  even  the  Nations  of  Canaan,  grew 
worfe  and  worfe,  till  their  Iniquity  came  to  the  full,  in 
JoJhua\  Time.  And  the  Pofterity  of  Lot,  that  Saint  fo 
wonderfully  diftinguiilied,  foon  became  fome  of  the  moft 
grofs  Idolaters ;  as  they  appear  to  have  been  in  Mofes** 
Time.  (See  Num.  xxv.)  Yea,  and  the  far  greater  Pare 
even  of  Abraham's  Pofterity,  the  Children  of  Iflmael, 
Ziman,  JokJImn,  Medan,  Midi  an,  Jfibak  and  Sbuah, 
and  Efau,  ibon  forgot  the  true  God,  and  fell  off  to  Hea- 
thenifm  Grear- 


sSSvjiiJ        again/}  great  Means.         Si 

Great  Things  were  done  in  the  Sight  of  the  Nations 
of  the  World,  tending  to  awaken  them,  and  lead  them  to 
the  Knowledge  and  Obedience  of  the  true  God,  in  %* 
cob's  and  JofepWs  Time  ;  in  that  God  did  miraculoufly, 
by  the  Hand  o£  Jofeph,  preferve'from  perifliihg  by  Fa- 
mine, as  it  were  the  whole  World  ;  as  appears  by  Gen. 
xli.  $6,  57.  Agreeably  to  which,  the  Name  that  Pha- 
raoh gave  to  Jofeph,  Zaphnatb-Paaneah,  as  is  laid,  ia 
the  Egyptian  Language,  lignifies  Saviour  of  the  World. 
But  there  does  not  appear  to  have  been  any  good  abiding 
Effect  of  this  ;  no,  not  (b  much  as  in  the  Nation  of  the 
Egyptians  (which  feems  to;have  been  the  chief  of  all  the 
heathen  Nations  at  that  Day)*  who  had  thefe  great  Works? 
of  Jehovah  in  their  mod  immediate  View  :  on  the  con- 
trary, they  grew  worfe  and  worfe,  and  feem  to  be  far 
more  grofs  in  their  Idolatries,  and  Ignorance  of  the  true 
God,  and  every  Way  more  wicked,  and  ripe  for  Ruin, 
when  Mofes  was  fent  to  Pharaoh,  than  they  were  ia 
Jofeptfs  Time. 

After  this,  in  Mofes  and  Jofiuah  Time,  the  great  nod 
was  pleafed  to  manifeft  himfelf  in  a  Series  of  the  mod 
aftonifhingMiracles,  for  about  fifty  Years  together,  wrought 
in  the  moll  publick  Manner,  in  Egypt, fm  the  Wildernefs, 
and  in  Canaan,  in  theView  as  it  were  of  the  whole  World  ; 
Miracles  by  which  the  World  was  fhaken,  the  whols 
Frame  of  the  vilible  Creation,  Earth,  Seas  and  Rivers, 
the  Atmofphere,  the  Clouds,  Sun,  Moon  and  Stars,  were 
affected  ;  Miracles  greatly  tending  to  convince  the  Na- 
tions of  the  World,  of  the  Vanity  of  their  fa,fe  Gods, 
fhewing  JEHOVAH  to  be  infinitely  above  them,  in  the 
Thing  wherein  they  dealt  moil  proudly,  and  exhibiting 
God's  awful  Difpleafure  at  the  Wickednefs  of  the  hea- 
then World.  And  thefe  Things  are  exprefsly  fpoken  of 
as  one  End  of  thefe  great  Miracles,  in  Exod.  ix.  tfm 
Num.xiv.21.  Jofh.xiv.23, 24.  &  othcrPlaces.  However, 
no  Reformation  followed  thefe  Things ;  but  by  the  Scrip- 
ture-Account, theNations  which  had  them  mod  in  View, 
were  dreadfully  hardened,  ftupidly  rcfufing  all  Conviclion 

G  and 


8  2    lie  Heathen  World  obftinate  Part.  L 

and  Reformation,  and  obftinately  went  on  in  an  Oppofition 
to  the  living  God,  to  their  own  Deftru&ion. 

After  this,  God  did  from  time  to  time,  very  publickly 
jnanifeft  himfelf  to  the  Nations  of  the  World*  by  won- 
derful Works  wrought  in  the  Time  of  the  Judges,  of  a 
KkeTendency  with  thofe  already  mentioned.  Particularly 
in  fo  miraculoufly  deftroying  by  the  Hand  of  Gideon, 
almoft  the  whole  of  that  vail  Army  of  the  Midianites, 
Amalekites,  and  all  the  Children  of  the  Eafl,  confiding 
of  about  135000  Men;  Judg.  vii.  12.  and  viii.  12.  But 
no  Reformation  followed  this  or  the  other  great  Works 
of  God,  wrought  in  the  Times  of  Deborah  and  Barak, 
"Jephtha  and  Samp/on. 

After  thefe  Things,  God  ufed  new,  and  in  fome  Re- 
fpe&s  much  greaterMeans  with  the  heathenWorld,to  bring 
them  to  the  Knowledge  and  Service  of  the  true  God,  in 
the  Days  of  David  and  Solomon.  He  railed  up  David, 
a  Man  after  his  own  Heart,  a  moft  fervent  Woriliipper 
of  the  true  God,  and  zealous  Hater  of  Idols,  and  fub- 
dued  before  him  aimed  all  the  Nations,  between  Egypt 
and  Euphrates  ;  often  miraculoufly  aflifting  him  in  his 
Battles  with  hisEnemies  :  and  he  confhmedSolomon  hisSon 
in  the  full  and  q%iiet  PofTefTlon  of  that  great  Empire,  for 
about  forty  Years  ;  and  made  him  the  wifeft,  richefl,  moft 
magnificent,  and  every  Way  the  greateft  Monarch  that 
ever  had  been  in  the  World ;  and  by  far  the  mod  famous, 
and  of  greateft  Name  among  the  Nations  ;  efpecially  for 
his-Vifdcm,  and  Things  concerning  the  Name  of  his  God; 
particularly  the  Temple  he  built,  which  was  exceeding 
magnifcent,  thai  it  might  be  of  Fame  and  Glory  through- 
tut  all  Lands  ;  1  Chron.  xxii.  5.  And  we  are  told,  that 
there  came  of  all  People  to  hear  the  v\  ifdom  0$  Solojnon, 
from  all  Kings  of  the  Earth  ;  1  King,  iv.  34.  and  x.  24. 
And  the  Scripture  informs  us,  that  thefe  great  Things 
were  done,  that  the  Nations  in  far  Countries  might  hear 
<f  God^s  great  Name,  and  of  his  out-(lretche$  Arm  ; 
that  all  the  People  of  the  Earth  might  fear  him,  as  well 
as  his  people  Ifrael ;  And  that  all  the  people  of  the 

Earth 


L  J       in  their  Wkhdnefs.  83 

Earth  might  know,  that  iheLOR'D  was  God,  and  that 
there  was  none  elfe,  i  King,  viii.  41,  42,  43,  60. 
Bud  ftill  rhere  is  no  Appearance  of  any  confiderable  a- 
biding  Effect,  with  Regard  to  any  one  heathen  Nation. 

After  this,  before  the  Captivity  into  Babylon,  many 
great  Things  were  done  in  the  Sight  of  the  Gentile  Na- 
tions, very  much  tending  to  enlighten,  affeft  and  perfuade 
them.  As,  God's  deflroying  theArmy  of  tlieEthiopians, 
of  a  Thoufand  Thoufand,  before  jlfa  ;  Elijah's  and 
EUJha's  Miracles  ;  efpecially  Elijah's  miraculoufly  con- 
founding Baal's  Prophets  and  Worfhippers  ;  Elba's 
healing  Naaman,  the  King  of  Syria's  prime  Minifter,  and 
the  miraculous  Victories  obtain'd  thro'  Eliflm'%  Prayers, 
over  the  Syrians,  Moabites  and  Edomites  ;  the  miracu* 
lous  Deftruelion  of  the  vaft  united  Army  of  the  Children 
of  Moab,  Amnion,  and  Edom,  at  Jehojhaphat's  Prayer. 
(2  Chron.xx.)y^«fl/?'s  preaching  vxNineveh,  together  with 
the  Miracle  of  his  Deliverance  from  the  Whale  s  Belly  ; 
which  was  publifhed,  and  well  attefled,  as  a  Sign  to  con- 
firm his  Preaching  ;  But  more  efpecially  that  great  Work 
of  God,  in  deftroying  Sennacherib's  Army  by  an  Angel, 
for  his  Contempt  of  the  God  of  Ifrael,  as  if  he  had  been 
no  more  than  the  Gods  of  the  Heathen. 

When  all  thefe  Things  proved  ineffectual,  God  took  a 
new  Method  with  the  heathen  World,  and  ufed,  in  fome 
refpe&s,  much  greater  Means  to  convince  8c  reclaim  them, 
than  ever  before.  In  the  firft  Place,  his  People,  the 
Jews,  were  removed  to  Babylon,  the  Head  and  Heart 
of  the  heathen  World  (Chaldea,  having  been  very  much 
the  Fountain  of  Idolatry)  to  carry  thither  the  Revelations 
which  God  had  made  of  Himfclf,  contained  in  the  facrfd 
Writings  ;  and  there  to  bear  their  Teftimony  againfl  Ido- 
latry ;  as  fome  of  them,  particularly  Daniel,  Shadrach, 
Me/hack  zndAbed-nego,  did,  in  a  very  open  Manner,  be- 
fore the  King,  and  the  great  eft  Men  of  the  Empire,  with 
filch  Circumftances  as  made  their  Teftimony  very  famous 
in  the  World  ;  God  confirming  it  with  great  Miracles ; 
which  were  publiifeed  thro'  the  Empire,  by  Or<Ier  of  it's 

G  2  Monarch, 


84    7%e  Heathen  World  obftinate    Part  I. 

Monarch,  as  the  mighty  Wcrks  of  the  God  of  Ifraet, 
fhev.'ing  him  to  be  above  all  Gods  :  "Daniel^  that  great 
fropher,  at  the  fame  time  being  exalted  to  be  Governour 
of  all  the  wife  Men  of  Babylon,  and  one  of  the  chief  Of- 
ficers of  Nebuchadnezzar'' s  Court. 

-  fter  this,  God  raifed  up  Cyrus,  to  deflroy  Babylon, 
for  it's  obftinate  Contempt  of  the  true  God,  and  Ipjtiri- 
oufnefs  towards  his  People  ;  according  to  the  Prophecies 
of  Ifaiab,  fpeaking  of  him  by  Name,  inftrucYmg  him  con- 
cerning theNature  andDominion  of  the  true  God  (Ifai. 
xlv.)  Which  Propheci  es  were  probably  fliown  to  him, 
whereby  he  was  induced  to  publifli  his  Teitimony  con- 
cerning theGod  of  Ifrael,zs  THE  GOD.  (Ezra  i.  2,  3.) 
^Daniel,  about  the  fameTime,  being  advanced  to  be  prime 
Minifter  of  State  in  the  newEmpire,erec1:ed  under'Darius, 
and  in  that  Place  appeared  openly  as  a  Worfhipper  of  the 
God  of  Ifraelt  and  Him  alone  ;  God  confirming  his 
Tcftimony  for  Him,  before  the  King,  and  all  theGrandees 
of  his  Kingdom,  by  preferving  him  in  the  Den  of  Lions ; 
whereby  "Darius  was  induced  to  publiffi  to  all  People, 
Nations  and  Languages,  that  dwelt  in  all  the  Earth,  his 
Teftimony,  that  the  God  of  Ifrael  was  the  living  God, 
andfledfdft  for  ever,  &c. 

-  When,  after  the  Deftruclion  of  Babylon,  fome  of  the 
Jezvs  returned  to  their  own  Land,  Multitudes  never  re- 
turned, but  were  difperfed  abroad,  thro'  many  Parts  of 
the  vaff.  Perfidn  Empire  ;  as  appears  by  the  Book  of 
Efiher.  And  man})  of  'em  afterwards,  as  good  Hiflories 
inform,  were  removed  into  the  more  weftern  Parts  of  the 
World  ;  and  fo  were  difperfed  as  it  were  all  over  the  hea- 
then World,  haying  the  holy  Scriptures  with  them,  and 
Synagogues  every  where,  for  the  Worfhip  of  the  true 
God.  And  fo  it  continued  to  be,  to  the  Days  of  Chrift 
and  h  s  Ap(  i!les  ;  as  appears  by  the  dels  ofthejipoftles. 
Thus  that  Light,  which  God  had  given  them,  was  in  the 
Providence  of  God,  carried  abroad  into  all  Parts  of  the 
World  :  So  that  now  they  had  far  greater  dvantages,  to 
come  to  the  Knowledge  of  th«  Truth,  in  Matters  of  Re- 
ligion; 


ligion,  if  they  had  been  difpofed  to  improve  their  Advan- 
tages. 

And  befides  all  thcfe  things,  from  about  Cyru sysT\mc, 
Learning  and  Philofophy  increafed,  and  was  carried  to  a 
great  Height.  God  raifed  up  a  Number  of  Men  of  pro- 
digious Genius,  to  inftrucf  others,  and  improve  their  Rea- 
fon  and  Underftanding,  in  the  Nature  of  Things  ;  And 
philofbphic  Knowledge  having  gone  on  to  increafe  for  fe- 
veral  Ages,  feem'd  to  be  got  to  it's  Height  before 
Chrift  came,  or  about  that  Time. 

And  now  let  it  be  confidered  what  was  the  Effect  of 

all  thefe  Things. In  Stead  of  a  Reformation,  or  any 

Appearance  or  Profpect  of  it,  the  Heathen  World  in  ge- 
neral rather  grew  worfe.  KsDrJFinder  obferves,  "  The 
"  inveterate  Abfurdities  of  Pagan  Idolatry  continued 
c<  without  Remedy,  and  increafed  as  Arts  and  Learning 
'*  increafed  ;  andPaganifm  prevailed  in  all  it's  Height  of 
€i  Abfurdity,  when  Pagan  Nations  were  poliflied  to  the 
M  Height,  and  in  the  moll:  polite  Cities  and  Countries  ; 
44  and  thus  continued  to  the  laft  Breath  of  Pagan  Power." 
And  fo  it  was  with  refpecl  to  Wickednefs  in  general,  as 
well  as  Idolatry;  a6  appears  by  what  the  Apoftle  Paul 
obferves  in  Rom.  i. — Dr.  T,  fpeaking  of  the  Time  when 
the  Gofpel-Scheme  was  introduced  (Key,  §  257.)  fays, 
**  The  moral  and  religious  State  of  the  Heathen  was 
**  very  deplorable,  being  generally  funk  into  great  Ig- 
*'  norance,grofs  Idolatry,  &  abominable  Vice."  AbonuV 
nableVices  prevailedmot  only  among  the  commonPeople, 
but  even  among  their  Philofophers  themfelves,  yea,  fome 
of  the  chief  of  them,  and  of  great  eft  Genius  ;  fo  Dr.  T. 
himfelf  obferves,  as  to  that  deteftable  Vice  of  Sodomy, 
which  they  commonly  and  openly  allowed  and  pracYifed- 
without  Shame.     See  Dr.  7* — r9s  Note  on  Rom.  i.  27. 

Having  thus  confidered  the  State  of  theHeathen  World, 
with  regard  to  the  Effecl:  of  Means  ufed  for  it's  Reforma- 
tion, during  the  Jewijh  Difpenfation,  from  the  firft  Foun- 
dation of  it  in  Abraham\  Time  ;  Let  us  now  confider 
how  it  was  with  that  People  themfelves,  that  were  diftin- 

G  3  guiih.e4 


86       The  Objlinacy  of  the  Jews      Part  L 

guifhed  with  the  peculiar  Privileges  of  that  Difpcnfation. 
The  Means  ufed  with  the  Heathen  Nations,  were  great ; 
but  they  were  fma*ll,if  compared  with  thofe  ufed  with  the 
Ifraelites.  The  Advantages  by  which  that  People  were 
diitinguiihed,  are  r  prefented  in  Scripture  as  vaftly  above 
all  parallel,  in  PalTages  which  Dr.  Tl  takes  Notice  of. 
{Kt y,  §  39.)  And  he  reckons  thefe  Privileges  among 
thofe  which  he  calls  antecedent  Blejjings,  confifting  in 
Motives  to  Virtue  and  Obedience  ;  and  fays  (Key,  §.  51.)- 
<f  That  this  was  the  very  End  and  Defign  of  the  Difpen- 
44  fation  of  God's  extraordinary  Favours  to  the  Jews, 
*;  viz.  to  engage  them  to  Duty  and  Obedience,  or  that  it 
**  was  a  Scheme  for  promoting  Virtue,  is  clear  beyond 
**  Difpute,  from  every  Part  of  the  Old  Teftament." 
Neverthelefs,  as  has  been  already  ill  own,  the  Generality 
of  that  People,  thro'  all  the  fucceflive  Periods  of  that 
Difpenfation,  were  Men  of  a  wicked  Character.  But  it 
will  be  more  abundantly  manifeft,  how  ilrong  the  natural 
Biafs  to  Iniquity  appeared  to  be  among  that  People,  by 
confidering  more  particularly  how  things  were  with  them 
from  Time  to  Time. 

Notwithflanding  the  great  things  God  had  done  in  the 
Times  of  Abraham,  Ifaac  and  Jacob,  to  feparate  them 
and  their  Pofterity  from  the  Idolatrous  World,  that  they 
might  be  a  holy  People  to  himfelf ;  yet  in  about  200  Years 
after  Jacob's  Death,  and  in  lefs  than  150  Years  after  the 
Death  cijojeph,  and  while  fome  were  alive  that  had  feen 
Jfcfeph,  the  People  had  in  a  great  Meafure  loft  the  true 
Religion,  and  were  apace  conforming  to  the  Heathen 
World  :  When,  for  a  Remedy,  and  the  more  effectually 
to  alienate  then:  from  Idols,  and  engage  them  to  the  God 
of  their  Fathers,  God  appeared  to  bring  'em  out  from  a* 
mong  the  Egyptians,  and  feparate  them  from  the  heathen 
World,  and  to  reveal  Himfelf  in  his  Glory  and  Majefty, 
in  fo  affecting  and  afloniihing  a  Manner,  as  tended  moft 
deeply  and  durably  to  imprefs  their  Minds  ;  that  they 
might  never  forfake  him  more.  But  fo  perverfe  were 
they,  that  they  murmured  even  in  the  Midft  of  the  Mi« 

racles 


£nAr;.I;r  ?  *#  /iWr  Wickednefs.  87 

Sect. VIII.  3  '  ' 

racles  that  God  wrought  for  'era  id  Egypt,  and  murmured  * 
at  thcRed-Sea^m  afewDays  after  God  had  brought  them 
out  with  fuch  a  mighty  Hand.  When  he  had  led  them 
thro'  the  Sea,  they  fang  his  Praife,  but  foon  forgat  his 
Works.  Before  they  got  to  Mount  Sinai,  they  openly 
manifefted  their  Perverfenefs  from  Time  to  Time  ;  fo 
that  God  fays  of  'em,  Exod.  xvi.  28.  How  long  will  ye 
refufe  to  keep  my  Commandments,  and  my  Lazes  ?  After- 
wards  they  murmured  again  at  Rep  he  dim. 

In  about  two  Months  after  they  came  out  of  Egypt? 
they  came   to  Mount  Sinai  ;   where  God  entered  into  a 
moil  folemn  Covenant  with  the  People,  that  they  mould 
be  an  holy  People  unto  him,  with  fuch  aftonifliing  Mani- 
festations of  his  Power,  Majefty  and  Holinefs,  as  were  al- 
together unparallel'd  :  As  God  puts  the  People  in  Mind, 
Deut.iv. 3  2 , — 3 4.   For  ajh  now  of  iheDays  that  are  paft, , 
which  zuere  before  thee,  fince  the  T)ay  that  God  created 
Alan  upon  the  Earth  ;  and  afi  from  one  Side  of  Heaven 
unto  the  other,  whether  there  has  been  any  fuch  thing  as 
this  great  'thing  is,  or  hath  been  heard  like  it.     T>id 
ever  People  hear  the  Voice  of  God  fpeaking  out  of  the 
Mid  ft  of  the  Fire,  as  thou  haft  heard,  and    live  f  Or 
hath  God  aJTayed  to  take  him  a  Nation  from  the  Mid  ft 
of  another  Nation,  &c  ?     And  thefe  great  Things  were 
to  that  End,  to  imprefs  their  Minds  with  fach  a  Conviction 
and  Senfe  of  divine  Truth,  and  their  Obligations  to  their 
Duty,  that  they  might  never  forget  them  :  As  God  fays, 
Exod.  xix.  9.     Lo,  I  come  unto  thee  in  a  t hi ckC loud, that 
the  People  may  hear  when  Ifpeak  with  thee,  and  believe 
thee  for  ever.     But    what  was  the  Effect  of  all  ?  Why, 
it  was  not  more  than  two  or  three  Months,  before  that 
People,  there,  under  that  very  Mountain,  returned  to  their 
old  Egyptian  Idolatry,  and  were  fmging  and  dancing  be- 
fore a  golden  Calf,  which  they  had   fet  up  to  worfhip. 
And  after  fuch  awful  Manifestations  as    there  were  of 
God's  Difpleafure  for    that  Sin,  and    fo  much  done    to 
bring  'em  to  Repentance,  and  confirm  'em  in  Obedience, 
%  was  but  a  few  Months  before  they  came  to  that  Vio- 

G  4  Ienc«" 


88      He  Obdtnacy  of  the  Jews      Part  I. 

lence  of  Spirit,  in  open  Rebellion  againft  God,  that  with 
the  utmorl  Vehemence  they  declared  their  Refolution  to 
follow  God  no  longer,  but  to  make  them  a  Captain  to 
return  into  Egypt.  And  thus  they  went  on  in  Ways  of 
perverfe  Oppoiition  to  the  moft  High,  from  Time  to 
Time,  repeating  their  openActs  of  Rebellion,  in  theMidfl 
of  continued  aitcni filing  Miracles,  till  that  Generation  was 
<leftroyed.  And  tho'  the  following  Generation  feems  to 
have  been  the  bed  that  ever  was  in  Ifrael  ;  yet  notwith- 
standing tjieir  crood  Example,  and  notwithflanding  all  the 
Wonders  of  God's  Power  and  Love  to  that  People,  in 
*jfofhua\  Time,  how  foon  did  that  People  degenerate,  and 
begin  to  Foriakc  God,  and  join  with  the  Heathen  in  then- 
Idolatries,  till  God  by  fevere  Means,  and  by  fending  Pro- 
phets and  Judges,  extraordinarily  influenced  from  above, 
reclaimed  them  r  But  when  they  were  brought  to  fome 
Reformation  by  fuch  Means,  they  foon  fell  away  again 
into  the  Practice  of  Idolatry  ;  and  fo  from  Time  to  Time, 
from  one  Age  to  another  ;  and  nothing  proved  effectual 
for  any  abiding  Reformation. 

After  things  had  gone  on  thus  for  feveral  hundred  Years, 
God  ufed  new  Methods  with  his  People,  in  two  Refpects ; 
F'trfl,  He  raifed  up  a  great  Prophet,  under  whom  a  Num- 
ber of  young  Men  were  trained  up  in  Schools,  that  from 
among  them  there  might  be  a  coniTant  Succeffion  of  great 
Prophets  in  Ifrael,  of  fuch  as  God  fhould  chufe  ;  which 
feems  to  have  been  continued  for  more  than  500  Years. 
Secondly,  God  raifed  up  a  greatKing,!Dtfv/J,one  eminent 
for  Wifdom,  Piety  and  Fortitude,  to  fubdue  all  their  Hea- 
then Neighbours,  who  ufed  to  be  fuch  a  Snare  to  'em  ; 
and  to  confirm,  adorn  and  perfect  the  Inflitutions  of  his 
publickWoriliip  ;  and  by  him  to  make  a  more  full  Reve- 
lation of  the  great  Salvation,  and  future  glorious  Kingdom 
of  the  Mefliah.  And  after  him,  raifed  up  hi$SonSolo?non, 
the  wifefl  and  greateit  Prince  that  ever  was  on  Earth,  more 
fully  to  fettle  and  eftablim  thofe  Things  which  his  Father 
ID  avid  had  begun,  concerning  the  publick  Wormip  or. 
God  in  Ifrael,  and  to  build  a  glorious  Temple  for  th? 

Honour 


sCKA  vt it  \  *n  ^e*r  Wi^dntfs-  ^  9 

Honour  of  JEHOVAH,  and  the  Inflitutions  of  hisWor- 
fliip,  and  to  inftruc*!:  the  neighbour  Nations  in  true  Wifdom 
and  Religion.  But  as  to  the  Succefs  of  thefe  new  and 
extraordinary  Means,  if  we 'take  Dr.  T.  for  our  Expofitor 
of  Scripture,  the  Nation  muft  be  extremely  corrupt  in 
*David'sT\me  :  for  he  fuppofes,he  has  refpecl  to  his  own 
Times,  in  thofe  Words,  Pfal.  xiv.  2,  3.  The  Lord  look- 
ed down  from  Heaven,  to  fee  if  there  were  any  that  did 
imderftand,  and  feek  God  :  They  are  all  gone  afide  ; 
'They  are  together  become  filthy ;  There  is  none  that  doth 
Good ;  no,  not  one.  But  whetherDr.  T.  be  in  the  right  in 
this,  or  not,  yet  if  we  confider  what  appeared  in  Ifrael,  in 
*Abfalo?n\  &  Sheba's  Rebellion,  we  i'hall  not  feeCaufe  to 
think,  that  the  greater  Part  of  the  Nation  at  that  Day 
were  Men  of  true  Wifdom  and  Piety.  As  to  Solomon's 
Time,  Dr.  T.  fuppofes,  as  has  been  already  obferved,  that 
Solomon  fpeaks  of  his  ownTimes,  when  he  fays,  he  had 
found  but  one  in  a  Thoufand  that  was  a  thoroughly  up- 
right Man.  However,  it  appears  that  all  thofe  great 
Means  ufed  to  promote  and  eftablifh  Virtue  and  true 
Religion,  in  SamuePsy  David's  8c  Solomon*  sTimes,  were 
fo  far  from  having  any  general  abiding  good  ErTeft  in 
Ifrael,  that  Solomon  himfelf,  with  all  his  Wifdom,  and 
notwithftanding  the  unparallePd  Favours  of  God  to  him, 
had  his  Mind  corrupted,  fo  as  openly  to  tolerate  Idolatry 
in  the  Land,  and  greatly  to  provoke  God  againft  him. 
And  as  loon  as  he  was  dead,  -  ten  Tribes  of  the  twelve 
forfook  the  true  Woriliip  of  God,  and  in  Stead  of  it,  open- 
ly eilablimed  the  like  Idolatry,  that  the  People  fellinto 
at  Mount  Sinai,  when  they  made  the  golden  Calf;  and 
continued  finally  obftinate  in  this  Apoftacy,  notwithstand- 
ing all  Means  that  could  be  ufed  with  them  by  the  Pro- 
phets, which  God  fent,  one  after  another,  to  reprove, 
counfel  and  warn  them,  for  about  250  Years  ;  efpecially 
thofe  two  great  Prophets,  Elijah  and  Elifha,  Of  all  the 
Kings  that  reigned  over  them,  there  was  not  fo  much  as 
one  but  what  was  of  a  wicked  Character.  And  at  laft  it 
came  to  that,  that  their  Cafe  feem'd  utterly  defperate  : 

So 


90       The  Obflinacy  of  the  Jews      Part  I. 

So  that  Nothing  remain'd  to  be  done  with  them,  but  to 
remove  'em  out  of  God's  Sight.  Thus  the  Scripture  re- 
prefentn  the  Matter,   2   King!     s  1. 

And  aa  tb  the  other  twoTr.bes  ;  tho'  their  Kings  were 
always  of  the  Family  of  "David,  end  they  were  favoured 
in  many  refpecrs,  far  *  beyond  their  Brethren,  yet  they 
were  generally  exceeding  corrupt  :  their  Kings  were  moll: 
of  'em  wicked  Men,  &  their  other  Magiftrates,  8c  Priefts 
and?eople,were  generally  agreed  in  theCorruption.  Thus 
the  Matter  is  reprefented  in  the  Scripture-Hifrory,  and 
th  ocoks  of  the  Prophets.  And  when  they  had  feen  how 
God  he'd  caft  off  the  ten  Tribe?.,  in  Stead  of  taking  Warn- 
ing, tLev  made  themfelves  vaftly  more  vile  than  ever  the 
other  had  done  ;  as  appears  by  2  Kings  xvii.  18,  19.  Ezek. 
xvi.  ^6,47,51.  God  indeed  waited  longer  upon  them,  for 
his  Servant  cDaviar>s  Sake,  and  for  Jerufak?nh  Sake,  that 
he  had  chofen  ;  and  ufed  more  extraordinary  Means  with 
them  ;  efpecially  by  thofe  great  Prophets,  Ifa'iah  and 
'Jeremiah  ;  but  to  no  Effect  :  So  that  at  lafr  it  came  to 
this,  as  the  Prophets  reprefent  the  Matter,  that  they  were 
like  a  Body  univerfally  and  defperately  difeafed  and  cor- 
rupted, that  would  admit  of  no  Cure,  the  whole  Head 
{ick,  and  the  whole  Heart  faint,  &c. 

Things  being  come  to  that  Pafs,  God  took  this  Method 
with  them  :  He  utterly,  deflroyed  their  City  and  Land, 
and  the  Temple  which  he  had  among  them,  made  thorough 
Work  in  purging  theLand  of  'em  ;  as  when  a  Man  empties 
a  tDiJb,zvipes  it,&  turns  itupfide  down  ;  or  when  a  Veffbl 
is  caft  into  a  fierce  Fire,  till  its  Filthinefs  is  thoroughly 
burnt  cut.  2  Kings  xxi.  13.  Ezek.  Chap.  xxiv.  They 
were  carried  into  Captivity,  and  there  left  till  that  wicked 
Generation  was  dead,  and  thofe  old  Rebels  were  purged 
out  ;  that  afterwards  the  Land  might  be  refettled  with  a 
more  pure  Generation. 

After  the  Return  from  the  Captivity,  and  God  had 
built  the  Jewifh  Church  again  in  their  own  Land,  by  a 
Series  of  wonderfulProvidences ;  yet  they  corrupted  them- 
felves again,  to  fo  great  a  Degree,  that  the  TranfgrefTbrs 

were 


SH^vJiii  in  their  Wichdnefs.  91 

were  come  to  the  full  again  in  the  Days  of  Antiochus 
Epipbanes  ;  as  the  Matter  is  reprefented  in  the  Prophecy 
o£  Daniel,  Dan.  viii.  28.  And  then  God  made  them 
the  Subjects  of  a  Difpenfation,  little,  if  any  Thing,  lefs 
terrible,  than  that  which  had  been  in  Nebuchadnezzar's 
Days.  And  after  God  had  again  delivered  'em,  and  re- 
ftored  the  State  of  Religion  among  them,  by  the  Inftru- 
mentality  of  the  Maccabees,  they  degenerated  again  : 
So  that  when  Chrift  came,  they  were  arrived  to  that  ex- 
treme Degree  of  Corruption,  which  is  reprefented  in  the 
Accounts  given  by  the  Evangelifts, 

It  may  be  obferved  here  in  general,  that  the  yews, 
tho'  fo  vaftly  diftinguifhed  with  Advantages,  Means  and 
Motives  to  Holinefs,  yet  are  reprefented  as  coming,  from 
Time  to  Time,  to  that  Degree  of  Corruption  and  Guilt, 
that  they  were  more  v&cked,  in  the  Sight  of  God,  than 
the  very  word  of  the  Heathen.  As,  of  old,  God  fware 
by  hit;  Life,  that  the  Wickednefs  of  Sodom  was  fmall, 
compared  with  that  of  the  Jews.  Ezek.  xvi.  47,  48,  &c. 

alfoChap.  v.  5 10.     So,  Chrift  fpeaking  of  the  Jews, 

in  his  Time,  reprefents  'em  as  having  much  greater  Guilt 
than  the  Inhabitants  of  Tyre  and  Si  don,  or  even  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah. 

But  we  are  now  come  to  the  Time  when  the  grandefl 
Scene  was  difplayed,  that  ever  was  open'd  on  Earth. 
After  all  other  Schemes  had  been  fo  long  and  fo  tho- 
roughly tried,  and  had  fo  greatly  failed  of  Succefs,  both 
among  Jezvs  and  Gentiles  ;  that  wonderful  Difpenfation 
was  at  length  introduced,  which  was  the  greateft  Scheme 
for  the  fuppreffing  and  retraining  Iniquity  among  Man- 
kind, that  ever  infinite  Wifclom  and  Mercy  contrived ; 
even  the  glorious  Gofpel  of  Jems  Chrift.  "  A  new  Dif- 
"  penfation  of  Grace  was  erected  (to  ufe  Dr.  T—r\  own 
"  Words,  P.  239,  240)  for  the  more  certain,  and  effectual 
«<  San&ification  of  Mankind,  into  the  Image  of  God  ;  the 
"  delivering  them  from  Sin  and  Wickednefs,  into  which 
ct  they  might  fall;  or  were  already  fallen  ;  to  redeem 
11  'cm  from  all  Iniquity,  and  bring  'em  to  the  Knowledge 

"  and 


92     *Tht  Go/pel  generally  reftfted.    Part  I. 

c<  and  Obedience  of  God."  In  whatever  high  and  ex- 
alted Terms  the  Scripture  fpeaks  of  the  Means  &  Motives 
which  the  Jews  enjoyed  of  old  ;  yet  their  Privileges  are 
reprefented  as  having  no  Glory,  in  Comparifon  of  the 
Advantages  of  the  G ofpel.  Dr.  T — r's  Words  in  P.  2  3  3 . 
are  worthy  to  be  here  repeated.  "  Even  the  Heathen 
«c  (fays  he)  knew  God,  and  might  have  glorified  him  as 
••  God  ;  but  under  the  glorious  Light  of  the  '>  ofpel,  we 
<4  have  very  clear  Ideas  of  the  divine  Perfections,  and 
"  particularly  of  the  Love  of  God  as  our  Father,  and  as 
«c  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jefus 
«'  ChrifL  We  fee  our  Duty  in  the  utmoft  Extent,  and 
<c  the  moft  cogent  Reafons  to  perform  it :  We  have  Eter- 
*'  nity  open'd  to  us,  even  an  encllefs  State  of  Honour  and 
«c  Felicity,  the  Reward  of  virtuous  Actions  ;  and  the  Spi- 
«c  rit  of  ^od  promifed  for  our  Direction  and  AiTilbnce. 
4t  And  all  this  may  and  ought  to  be  applied  to  the  purify- 
«l  ing  our  Minds,  and  the  perfecting  of  Holinefs.  And 
««  to  thefe  happy  Advantages,  we  are  born  :  for  which 
*c  we  are  bound  for  ever  to  praife  and  magnify  the  rich 
*c  Grace  of  «j'od  in  the  Redeemer."  And  he  eliewhere 
fays,  *  if  The  Gofpei-Conftitution  is  a  Scheme  the  mod 
*'  perfect  and  effectual  for  ref coring  true  Religion,  and 
"  promoting  Virtue  and  Happinefs,  that  ever  the  World 
«'  has  yet  feen."  And  f  admirably  adapted  to  enlighten 
our  Minds,  and  fanclify  our  .Hearts  ;  And  %  never 
were  Motives  Jo  divine  and  powerful  propofed,  to  induce 
us  to  the  Praclice  of  all  Virtue  and  Goodnefs. 

And  yet  even  thefe  Means  have  been  ineffectual  upon 
the  far  greater  Part  of  them  with  whom  they  have  been 
ufed  ;  of  the  many  that  have  been  called,  few  have  been 
chofen. 

^s  to  the  Jews,  God's  ancient  People,  with  whom 

they  were  ufed  in  the  firft  Place,  and  ufed  long  by  Chrifl 

and  his  Apoitles,  the  Generality  of  them   rejected  Chrift 

and  his  Gofpel,  with  extreme  Pertinacioufnefs  of  Spirit. 

_ They 

*  Key,  §  139.         f  Noti  en  Rom.   i.   1 6.         %  Pref.  to  Par, 
on  Rom.  P.  203. 


?HAP;  *;T  I        hy  Tews  and  Gentiles.        01 

Sect. VIII.  5  J   J  ^ 

They  nof  only  went  on  (till  in  that  Career  of  Corruption, 
which  had  been  increafing  from  the  Time  of  the  Macca- 
bees ;  but  Chrift's  Coming,  and  his  Doctrine  &  Miracles, 
and  the  Preaching  of  his  Followers,  &  the  gloriousThings 
that  attended  the  fame,  were  the  Occafion,  thro'  their 
perverfe  Improvement,  of  an  infinite  Increafe  of  their 
Wickednefs.  They  crucified  the  Lord  of  Glory,  with 
the  utmoft  Malice  and  Cruelty,  and  perfecuted  his  Fol- 
lowers ;  they  pleafed  not  God,  and  were  contrary  to  all 
Men  ;  and  went  on  to  grow  worfe  and  worfe,  till  they 
filled  up  the  Meafure  of  their  Sin,  and  Wrath  came  upon 
them  to  the  uttermofl  ;  and  they  were  deliroyed,  and  cafi 
out  of  God's  Sight,  with  unfpeakably  greater  Tokens  of 
the  divine  Abhorrence  and  Indignation,  than  in  the  Days 
of  Nebuchadnezzar,  The  bigger  Part  of  the  wholeNa- 
tion  were  flain,  and  the  reft  were  fcattered  abroad  thro* 
the  Earth,  in  the  moil  abjecl  and  forlorn  Circumftances. 
And  in  the  fame  fpirit  of  Unbelief  and  Malice  againft 
Chrift  and  the  Gofpel,  and  in  their  miferable  dilperfed 
Circumftances,  do  they  remain  to  this  Day. 

And  as  to  the  Gentile  Nations,  tho'  there  was  a  glo- 
rious Succefs  of  the  Gofpel  amengft  them,  in  the  Apoftles 
Days  ;  yet  probably  not  one  in  ten  of  thofe  that  had  the 
Gofpel  preached  to  'em,  embraced  it.  The  Powers  of 
the  World  were  fet  againft  it,  and  perfecuted  it  with  in- 
fatiable  Malignity.  And  among  the  Profeflbrs  of  Chrifti- 
anity,  there  prefently  appeared  in  many  a  Difpofition  to 
Corruption,  and  to  abufe  the  Gofpel  unto  the  Service  of 
Pride  and  Licentioufnefs.  And  the  Apoftles  in  their 
Days  foretold  a  grand  Apoftacy  of  the  Chriftian  World, 
which  fhould  continue  many  Ages  ;  and  obferved,  that 
there  appeared  a  Difpofition  to  fuch  an  Apoftacy,  among 
profefTing  Chriftians,  even  in  that  Day.  2  Thefl  ii.  7. 
And  the  greater  Part  of  the  A  ges  which  have  now  elapfed, 
have  been  fpent  in  the  Duration  of  that  grand  and  general 
Apoftacy,  under  which  the  Chriftian  World,  as  it  is  called, 
has  been  transformed  into  that  which  has  been  vaftly 
more  deformed^more  di&onourable,  &  hateful  toGod,  and 

repugnant' 


94  T%e  G of  pel  generally  Tart  % 

repugnant  to  true  Virtue,  than  the  State  of  the  heathen 
"World  before  :  Which  is  agreeable  to  the  prophetical 
Defcriptions   given  of  it  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

In  thefe  latter  Ages  of  the  Chriitian  Church,  God  has 
railed  up  a  Number  of  great  and  good  Men,  to  bear  Tefti- 
moriy  again!!  the  Corruptions  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  and 
by  their  Means  introduced  that  Light  into  the  "World,  by 
which,  in  a  fhortTime,  at  lead  oneThird  Part  of  Europe 
were  delivered  from  the  more  grofs  Enormities  of  JLntl- 
chrifl  i  "Which  was  attended  at  firft  with  a  great  Refor- 
mation, as  to  vital  and  practical  Religion.  But  how  is 
the  Gold  foon  become  dim  !  To  what  a  Pafs  are  things 
come  in  Proteitant  Countries  at  this  Day,  and  in  our 
Nation  in  particular  !  To  what  a  prodigious  Height  has 
a  Deluge  of  Infidelity,  Profanenefs,  Luxury,  Debauchery 
and  Wickednefs,  of  every  Kind,  arifen  !  The  poor  favage 
.Americans  are  meer  Babes  and  Fools  (if  I  may  fo  fpeak) 
as  to  Proficiency  in  Wickednefs,  in  Comparifon  of  Mul- 
titudes that  the  Chriitian  World  throngs  with.  Dr.  T. 
himfelf,  as  was  before  obferved,  reprefents,  that  theGene* 
rality  ofChrifiians  have  been  the  moft  tvicked, lewd, bloody 
and  treacherous ,  of  allManklnd  ;  and  fays  {Key,  §.  356.) 
"  The  Wickednefs  of  the  Chriitian  Yvrorld  renders  it  fo 
4C  much  like  the  Heathen,  that  the  good  Erfecls  of  our 
"  Change  to  Chriftianity  are  but    little  feen." 

And  with  refpeel  to  the  dreadful  Corruption  of  the 
prefent  Day,  it  is  to  be  confidered,  befides  the  Advantages 
already  mentioned,  that  great  Advances  in  Learning  and 
philofophic  Knowledge  have  been  made  in  the  prefent 
and  pad  Century,  giving  great  Advantage  for  a 
proper  and  enlarged  Exercife  of  our  rational  Powers,  and 
for  our  feeing  the  bright  Manifeftation  of  God's  Per- 
fections in  his  Works.  And  it  is  to  be  obferved,  that 
the  Means  and  Inducements  to  Virtue,  which  this  Age 
enjoys,  are  in  Addition  to  mod  of  thofe  which  were  men- 
tioned before,  as  given  of  old  ;  and  among  other  Things, 
in  Addition  to  the  iliortening  of  Man's  Life,  to  70  or  So 
Years,  from,  near  a  Thousand*    And  with  regard  to  this, 


if<£v\im.j  obftinately  refifted.  95 

I  would  obferve,  that  as  the  Cafe  now  is  in  Chriftendom, 
take  one  with  another  of  them  that  ever  come  to  Years 
Difcretiony  their  Life  is  not  more  than  forty  or  forty- five 
Years ;  which  is  but  about  the  twentieth  Parth  of  what 
it  once  was  :  And  not  fo  much  in  great  Cities,  Places 
where  Profanenefs,Senfuality  andDebauchery,  commonly 
prevail  to  the  greateil  Degree. 

Dr.  jT.  {Key,  §  i.)  truly  oh ferves,  That  God  has  from 
the  Beginning  exercifed  wonderful  and  infinite  Wifdom, 
in  the  Methods  he  has,  from  Age  to  Age,  made  ufe  of  to 
oppofe  Vice,  cure  Corruption,  and  promote  Virtue  in  the 
World  ;  and  introduced  feveral  Schemes  to  that  End. 
'Tis  indeed  remarkable,  how  many  Schemes  and  Methods 
were  tried  of  old,  both  before  and  after  the  Flood  ;  how 
many  were  ufed  in   the  Times  of  the  Old  Teftament, 
both  with  Jews  and  Heathens  ;  and  how  ineffectual  all 
thefe  antient  Methods  proved,  for   4000  Years  together, 
till  God  introduced  that  grand  Difpenfation,  for  the  re- 
deeming Men  from  all  Iniquity,  and  purifying  them  to 
himfeif,  a  People  zealous  of  good  Works  ;  which  the 
Scripture  represents  as  the  Subject  of  the  Admiration  of 
Angels.     Bat  even  this  has,  now  fo  long,  proved  Co  in- 
effectual, with  refpect  to  theGenerality,  that  Dr.  T'.  thinks 
there  is  Need  of  a  new  ^Difpenfation,  Chriftians  being 
7iozuy  as  he  fays,  in  a  Manner  reduced  to  a  State  of  Re- 
ligion, as  low  as  that  of  Heathenifm,  &  may  be  ranked 
among  the  cDead  ;  the  prefent  Light  of  the  Gofpel  prov- 
ing infufficient  for  the  full  Reformation  of  the  Chriftian 
World.  (Note  on  Rom.  i.  27.) — And  yet  all  thefe  Things, 
according  to  him,  without  any  natural  Biafs  to   the  con- 
trary ;    no  Stream  of  natural  Inclination  or  Propensity  at 
all,  to  oppofe   Inducements  to  Goodnefs  ;  no  native  Op- 
position of  Heart,to  withdand  thofe  graciousMeans,which 
God  has  ever  ufed  with  Mankind,  from,  the  Beginning  of 
the  World  to  this  Day  ;  any  more  than  there  was  in  the 
Heart  of  Adamt  the  Moment  God  created  him  in  perfect 
Innocence, 

Surely 


g6     7  he  Obfiinacy  of  the  World     Part  I, 

Surely  Dr.  T — r's  Scheme  is  attended  with  ftrange 
Paradoxes.  And  that  his  myflerious  Tenets  may  appear 
in  a  true  Light,  it  mufi  be  obferved,  —  at  the  fame 
Time  while  he  fuppofes  thefeMeans,even  the  very  grea- 
ter!: and  bed  of  'em,  to  have  proved  fo  ineffectual,  that 
Help  from  them,  as  to  any  general  Reformation,  is  to  be 
defpaired  of ;  yet  he  maintains,  that  allMankind,  even  the 
Heathen  in  allParts  of  theWorld,  yea,  every  finglePerfon 
in  it  (which  muft  include  every  Indian  in  America,  be- 
fore the  Europeans  came  hither  ;  and  every  Inhabitant 
of  the  unknown  Parts  of  Africa,  and  'Terra  Auftralis) 
has  Ability,Light,  and  Means  fufficient.,  to  do  their  whole 
Duty  ;  yea  (as  many  Paffages  in  his  Writings,  plainly 
fuppofe)  to  perform  perfect  Obedience  to  God's  Law, 
without  the  leaft  Degree  of  Vice  or  Iniquity.  * 

But  I  muft  not  omit  to  obferve, — Dr.  T.  fuppofes, 
that  the  Reafon  why  the  Gofpel-Difpenfation  has  been 
fo  ineffectual,  is,that  it  has  been  greatly  mifunderftood  and 
perverted.  In  P.  183.  he  fays,  "  Wrong  Reprefentati- 
*fc  ons  of  the  Scheme  of  the  Gofpel  have  greatly  obfeured 
M  the  Glory  of  divine  Grace,  and  contributed  much  to 

"  the  Corruption  of  it's  Profeflbrs. Such  Doctrines 

"  have  been  almoft  univerfally  taught  and  received,  as 
41  quite  fubvert  it.  Miftaken  Notions  about  Nature, 
"  Grace,  Election  and  Reprobation,  Juftification,  Rege- 
*c  neration,  Redemption;Calling,Adopiion,  &c.  have  quite 
<c  taken  away  the  very  G round  of  the  Chriflian  Life." 

But  how  came  the  Gofpel  to  be  fo  univerfally  and  ex- 
ceedingly mifundentood  ?  Is  it  becaufe  it  is  in  it  felf  fo 
very  dark  and  unintelligible,  and  not  adapted  to  the  Ap- 
prehenfion  of  the  human  Faculties  ?  If  fo,  how  is  the 
JPofTeffion  of  fuch  an  obfeure  and  unintelligible  Thing,  fo 
unfpeakable  &  glorious  an  Advantage  ? — Or  is  it  becaufe 
of  the  native  Blindnefs,  Corruption  and  Superftition  of 
Mankind  ?  But  this  is  giving  up  the  Thing  in  Queftion, 
and  allowing  a  great  Depravity  of  Nature. — And  Dr.  T. 
fpeaks  of  the   Gofpel   as   far  otherwife  than  dark    and 

unintelligible  ; 

*  See  P,  259,  339?  34°>  34-9. 


Chat.  I.   ">  proves  Corruption  of  Nature.  97 

Sect.VIH.  5  -* 

unintelligible  ;  he  reprefents  it  as  exhibiting  the  cleared: 
and  moff  glorious  Light,  to  deliver  the  World  from  Dark- 
nefs,  and  bring  'em  into  marvellous  Light.     He  fpeaks  of 
the  Light  which  the  Jews  had,  under  the   Mofaic  Dif- 
penfation,  as  vaftly  exceeding  the  Light  of  Nature,  which 
the  Heathen   enjoyed:  And  yet  hfe  fuppofes,  that  even 
the  latter  was  (o  clear,  as  to  be   fuiheient  to  lead  Men  to 
the  Knowledge  of  God,  and   their  whole  Duty  to  him. 
And  he  fpeaks  of   the  Light  of  the  Gofpel  as  vaftly  ex- 
ceeding the  Light  of  the  Old  Teftament.     He  fays  of  the 
Apoftle  Paul  in  particular,  <c   That  he  wrote  with  great 
<*  Perfpicuity  ;  that  he  takes  great  Care  to  explain  every 
«  Part  of  his  Subjecl  ;  that  he  has  left  no  Part  of  it  unex- 
«   plained  and  unguarded  ;  and  that  never  was  an  Author 
"  more  exa£  and  cautious  in  this."  * — Is  it  not  ftrange 
therefore,  that  the   Chriftian  World,  without  any  native 
Depravity  to  prejudice  and  darken  their  Minds,  fhould  be 
fo  blind  in  the  Midft  of  fuch  glaring  Light,  as  to  be  all,  or 
the  Generality,  agreed,  fromAge  to  Age,  {o  effentially  to 
mi/under  ft  and  that  which  is  made  fo  very  plain  ? 

Dr.  T.  fays,  P.  443.  "  'Tis  my  Opinion,  that  the 
"  Chriftian  Religion  was  very  early  and  grievpufly  cor- 
"  rupted,  by  dreaming,  ignorant,  fuperftitious/^/Uv,  too 
«*  conceited  to  be  fatisned  with  plain  Gofpel  ;  and  has 
"  long  remained  in  that  deplorable  State." — But  how 
came  the  whole  Chriftian  World,  without  any  blinding 
Depravity,  to  hearken  to  thefe  ignorant  foolifhMen,  rather, 
than  unto  wifer  and  better  Teachers  ?  Efpecially,  when 
the  latter  had  plain  Gofpel  on  their  Side,  &  the  Do&rines 
of  the  ether  were  (as  our  Author  fuppefes)  fo  very  contrary 
not  only  to  the  plain  Gofpel,  but  to  Men's  Reafon  and 
common  Senfe  !  Or  were  ail  the  Teachers  of  the  Chrif- 
tian Church  nothing  but  a  Parcel  of  ignorant  Dreamers  t 
If  fo,  this  is  very  ftrange  indeed,  unlefs  Mankind  natu- 
rally love  T)arknefs,  rather  than  Light,  ;  feeing  in  all 
Parts  of  the  Chriftian  World,  there  was  fo  great  a  Mul- 
titude of  thofe  in  the  Work  of  the  Miniftry,  who  had  the 

H  *       Gofpel 

*  Pref.  to  Paf.  on  Rom, 


98      The  Ohjlinacy  of  the  IVorlcl     Part  I. 

Gofpel  in  their  Hands,  and  whofe  whole  Bufinefs  it  was 
to  ftudy  and  teach  it  j  and  therefore  had  infinitely  greater 
.Advantages  to  become  truly  wife,  than  the  Heathen  Phi- 
lofophers.  But  if  it  did  happen  fo,  by  fome  ft  range  and 
inconceivable  Means,  that  notwithftanding  all  thefe  glo- 
rious Advantages,  all  thcTeachers  of  theChriflian  Church 
thro'  the  World,  without  any  native  evil  Propenfityv  very 
early  became  filly  'Dreamers,  and  alfo  in  their  dreaming, 
generally  flumbled  on  the  fume  individual  mohflrous 
Opinions,  and  fo  the  World  might  be  blinded  for  a  while  \ 
yet  why  did  not  they  hearken  tot  that  wife  and  great  Man, 
Pelaghis,  and  others  like  Hiri,  when  he  plainly  held 
forth  the  Truth  to  theChriflian/ World  ?  Efpecially  fee- 
ing his  Infractions  were  fo  agreeable  to  the  plain  Doc- 
trines, and  the  bright  and  clear  Light  of  the  Gofpel  of 
Chrift,  and  alfo  fo  agreeable  to  the  plaineft  Dictates  of 
the  common  Senfe  and  Underffanding  of  all  Mankind  ; 
but  the  other  fo  repugnant  to  it,  that  (according  to  our 
Author)  if  they  were  true,  it  would  prove  Under/land- 
to  be  no  Under/landing,  and  theiJVord  of  God  to  be  no 
Rule  of  'Truth,  nor  at  all  to  be  Relied  upon,  and  God  to 
be  a  Being  worthy  of  no  Regara) ! 

And  befides,  if  the  Ineflectualnefs  of  the  Gofpel  to 
reflrain  Sin  and  promote  Virtue,!  be  owirjg-  to/fne  general 
Prevalence  of  thefe  Doctrines,  vyhich  aj/e  fo^pofed  to  J*e 
fo  abfurd  and  contrary  to  the  GofpeM/fiepe  is  this  further 
to  be  accounted  for  ;  namely,  Wiry^unce  there  has 
fo  great  anlncreafe  of  Light  in  religious  Matters  (as 
be  fuppofed  on  Dr.  T—r\  Sch#rop)  in  this  and  t) 
Age,  and  thefe  monftrous  Doctrine's  of  Original  Sin,  Elec- 
tion, Reprobation,  Juftiflcatiop,  Regeneration,  &c.  have 
been  fo  much  exploded,  efpedalw  in  our  Nation,  there 
has  been  no  Reformation  attending  this  great  Advancement 
of  Light  and  Truth  :  But  on  the  contrary,  Vice  &  every 
thing  that  is  oppofite  r*6  practical  Chriftianity,  has  gone  on 
tfoincreafe,  with  fuch  a  prodigious  Celerity,. as  to  become 
like  an  overflowing  Deluge,  threatning,  unlefs  God  mer- 
cifully interpofes,  ipeedily  to  fwallow  up  all  that  is  left 
of  what  is  virtuous  and  praife-worthy.  Many 


si"  t^viii  }  Proves  Corruption  of  Nature.  99 

Many  other  Things  might  have  been  mentioned  under 
thisHead,of  theAIeans  whichMankind  have  had  to  reflrain 
Vice,  and  promote  Virtue  ;  fuch  as — Wickednefs  being 
many  Ways  contrary  to  Men's  temporal  Intereit  and  Com- 
fort in  this  World,  and  their  having  continually  before 
their  Eyes  fo  many  lnilances  of  Perfons  made  miferablc 
by  their  Vices  ;  the  Refiraints  of  human  Laws,  without 
which  Men  cannot  live  in  Society  ;  the  Judgments  of  God 
brought  on  Men  for  their  Wickednefs,  with  which  Hiitory 
abounds,  and  the  providential  Rewards  of  Vittue  •  and 
innumerable  particular  Means,  that  God  has  ufed  from 
Age  to  Age,  to  curb  the  Wickednefs  of  Mankind,  which 
I  have  omitted.  But  there  would  be  no  End  of  a  par- 
ticular Enumeration  of  fuch  Things.  Enough  has  been 
faid.  They  that  will  not  be  convinced  by  the  lnilances 
which  have  been  mentioned,  probably  would  not  be  con- 
vinced, if  the  World  had  flood  a  Thoufand  Times  fo  long;, 
and  wc  had  the  mod  authentick  and  certain  Accounts  of 
Means  having  been  ufed  from  the  Beginning,  in  a  Thou- 
fand Times  greater  Variety  ;  and  new  Difpenfations  had 
been  introduced,  after  others  had  been  tried  in  vain,  ever 
fo  often,  and  flili  to  little  Effect  He  that  won't  be  con- 
vinced by  a  Thoufand  good  Witnedes,  'tis  not  likely  thac 
he  would  be  convinced  by  a  "Thoufand  Thoufand.     The 

Proofs  that  have  beeta  extant  in  the  World,  from  Trial 
and  Fa£fc,  of  the  Djtpravity  of  Man's  Nature    are  inex- 

vpreffible,  and  as  it  were  infinite,  beyond  the  Reprefenta- 
tion  of  all  Companion  and  Similitude.  If  there  were  a 
Piece  of  Ground,  w  lich  abounded  with  Briars  8c  Thorns, 
or  fome  poifonous  Slant,  and  ail  Mankind  had  ufed  their 
Endeavours,  for  a  Thoufand  It'ears  together,  to  fupprefs 
that  evil  Growth,  &  to  bring  that  •  round  by  Manure  and 
Cultivation,  Planting  and  Sowing,  to  produce  better  Fruit, 
but  all  in  vain,  it  would  (till  be  over-run  with  the  fame 
noxious  Growth  ;  it  would  not  be  a  Proof,  that  fuch  a 
Produce  was  agreeable  to  the  Nature  of  that  Soil,  in  any 
wife  to  bs  compared  to  that  which  is  given  in  divine  Pro- 
vidence,  that  Wickednefs  is  a  Produce  agreeable  to  the 

H  2  Natui© 


J  oo         Evafeons  of  the  Proof        Part  L 

Nature  of  the  Field  of  the  World  of  Mankind  ;  which 
has  ha  d  Means  ufed  with  it,  that  have  been  fo  various, 
great  and  wonderful,  contrived  by  the  unfearchable  and 
bound lefsWifdom  of  God  ;  Medicines  procured  with  infi- 
nite Expence,  exhibited  with  fo  vail  an  Apparatus ;  fo 
marvellous  a  SuccelTion  of  Difpenfations,  introduced  one 
after  another,  difplaying  an  incomprehenfible  Length  and 
Breadth,Depth  and  Height,  of  divine  Y/ifdom,Lovc  and 
Power,  and  every  Perfection  of  the  Godhead,  to  the 
eternal  Admiration  of  the  Principalities  and  Powers  in 
heavenly  Places. 


S    3    C     T.       IX. 

Several  Etfafi&ns  of  the  Srrgumcnts  for  iheDepra^ 
vity  of  Nature,  from  Trial  and  Events,  confulereJ. 

EVafion  I.  Dr.  %  fays,  P.  231,  232.  "  Adair? % 
"  Nature,  it  is  allowed,  was  very  far  from  being 
*-  finful  ;  yet  he  finned.  And  therefore,  the  common 
"  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin,  is  no  more  neceffary  to  at* 
"  count  for  the  Sin  that  hath  been  in  the  World,  than  it 
"  is  to  account  for  Adanf  s  Sin."  Again,  P.  328,  e.c 
"  If  we  allow  Mankind  to  be  as  wicked  as  R.  R.  has  re* 
"  prefented  them  to  be  ;  and  fuppofe  that  there  is  net 
•■*  one  upon  Earth  that  is  truly  righteous,  &  without  Sin, 
ct  and  that  forne   are  very  enormous  Sinners,  yet  it  will 

Ci  not  thence  fonow,that  they  are  naturally  corrupt. - 

*'  For,  if  fmful  Action  infers  a  Nature  originally  corrupt, 
"  then,  whereas  Adam  (according  to  them  that  hold  the 
"  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin)  committed  the  moil  heinous 
*;  and  aggravated  Sin,  that  ever  was  committed  in  the 
World  ;  for,  according  to  them,  he  had  greater  Light 
than  any  other  Man  in  the  Yvrorld,  to  know  his  Duty, 
and  greater  Power  than  any  other  Man  to  fulfil  it,  and 
was  under  greater  Obligations  than  any  other  Men  to 
"  Obedience  -7  he  finned  when  he  knew  he  was  the  Re- 

prefentative 


^CT-  k/l  froniExperience.confAcicd.  101 
Chap.ix.  5  x 

44  prefentative  of  Millions,  arid  that  the  happy  or  mifcr- 
44  able  State  of  all  Mankind  depended  on  his  Conduct  ; 
*4  which  never  was,  nor  can  be,  the  Cafe  of  any  other 
4<  Man  in  the  World  :— then,  I  fay,  it  will  follow,  that 

44  bis  Nature    was   originally    corrupt,  &c. Thus, 

44  their  Argument  from  the  Wickednefs  of  Mankind,  to 
44  prove  a  finful  and  corrupt   Nature,  mnft  inevitably 

44  and    irrecoverably    fall    to    the    Ground. -Which 

44  will  appear  more  abundantly,  if  we  take  in  the  Cafe 
44  of  the  Angels  ;  who  in  Numbers  finned  and  kept 
44  not  their  firft  Eftate,  tW  created  with  a  Nature  fu* 
44  periour  to  Addmh"  Again,  P.  421.  "  When  it  is 
44  enquired,  how  it  comes  to  pafs  that  our  Appetites  and 
<c  Pafiions  are  now  fo  irregular  andflrong,  as  that  not  one 
4;  Perfon  has  refifled  them,  fo  as  to  keep  himfelf  pure 
64  and  innocent  ?  If  this  be  the  Cafe,  if  fuch  as  make  the 
£C  Enquiry  will  tell  the  World,  how  it  came  to  pafs  that 
44  Adam's  Appetites  and  Paifions  were  fo  irregular  and 
ct  ftrong,  that  he  did  not  refill  them,  fo  as  to  keep  him* 
44  CcW  pure  and  innocent,  when  upon  their  Principles  he 
44  was  far  more  able  to  have  refitted  them  ;  I  alio  will 
44  tell  them  how  it  comes  pafs,  that  his  Poderity  don't 
44  refill:  them.  Sin  doth  not  alter  it's  Nature,  by  it's  being 
64  general  ;  and  therefore,  how  far  foever  it  fpreads,  it 
44  mult  come  upon  all  jud  as  it  .came  upon  Adam" 

Thefe  Things  are  delivered  with  much  Adurance. 
But  is  there  any  Reafon  in  fuch  a  Way  of  Talking  ?  One 
Thing  implied  in  it,  and  the  main  Thing,  if  any  Thing 
at  all  to  the  Purpofe,  is,  that  becaufe  an  Effect's  being 
general  don't  alter  the  Nature  of  the  Effect,  therefore 
Nothing  more  can  be  argued  concerning  the  Caufe,  from 
it's  happening  constantly,  and  in  the  moft  fleady  Manner, 
than  from  it's  happening  but  once.  But  how  contrary  is 
this  to  Reafon  r  If  fuch  a  Cafe  fhould  happen,  that  a 
Perfon,  thro'  the  deceitful  Perfuafions  of  a  pretended 
Friend,once  takes  an  unwholiom  &  poifonous  Draught,  of 
a  Liquor  which  he  had  no  Inclination  to  before  ;  but  after 
he  has  once  taken  of  it,  he  be  obferved  to  act  as  one  that 

H  3  tia$ 


102         Eva/ions  of  the  Proof         Part  I. 

has  an  infatiable.incurableThirfl:  after  more  of  the  fame,in 
his  conftant  Practice,  &  Acts  often  repeated,  &  obftinately 
continued  in  as  long  as  be  lives,  againft  all  poflible  Argu- 
ments and  Endeavours  ufed  to  difliiadehim  from  it  ;  and 
we  mould  from  hence  argue  a  fixed  Inclination,  and  be- 
gin to  fufpeccthat  this  is  the  Nature  and  Operation  of  the 
Poilbn,  to  produce  fuch  an  Inclination,  or  that  this  Itrohg 
Propenfity  is  fome  Way  the  Confequence  of  the  firft 
Draught  ;  in  fuch  a  Cafe,  could  it  be  faid  with  good  Rea- 
fon,  that  a  fix'd  Propenfity  can  no  more  be  argued  from 
his  consequent  conftant  Practice,  than  from  his  firft 
Draught  ?  Or,  if  we  fuppofe  a  youngMan,  no  otherwife 
than  foberly  inclined,  and  enticed  by  wicked  Companions, 
fhould  drink  to  Excefs,  until  he  had  got  a  Habit  of  ex- 
celfive  Drinking,  and  mould  come  under  the  Power  of  a 
greedy  Appetite  after  ftrong  Drink,  fo  that  Drunkennefs 
fhould  become  a  common  and  conftant  Practice  with  him  : 
And  fome  Obferver,  arguing  from  this  his  generalPractice, 
fhould  fay,  '  It  mull:  needs  be,  that  this  youngMan  has  a 
fix'd  Inclination  to  that  Sin  ;  otherwife,  how  fhould  it 
come  to  pafs  that  he  fhould  make  fuch  a  Trade  of  it  ?' 
And  another,  ridiculing  the  Weaknefs  of  his  arguing, 
fhould  reply,  '  Do  you  tell  me  how  it  came  to  pafs,  that 

*  he  was  guilty  of  that  Sin  the  firft  Time  without  a  fix'd 

*  Inclination,  and  I'll  tell   you  how  he  is  guilty  of  it  fo 

*  generally  without  a  fix'd  Inclination.  Sin  don't  alter 
<  it's  Nature    by  being    general  :  And  therefore,    how 

*  common  foever  it  becomes,  it  muft  come  at  all  Times 
c  by  the  fame  Means  that  it  came  at  firft.'  I  leave  it  to 
every  one  to  judge,  who  would  be  chargeable  with  weak 
arguing  in  fuch  a  Cafe. 

'Tis  true,  as  was  obferved  before,  there  is  no  Effect 
without  fome  Caufe,  Occafion,  Ground  or  Reafon  of  that 
Effect,  and  fome  Caufe  anfwerabie  to  the  Effect.  But 
certainly  it  will  not  follow  from  thence,  that  a  tranftmt 
Effect  requires  a  permanent  Caufe,  or  a  fix'd  Influence  or 
Propenfity.  An  Effect's  happening  once,  tho'  the  Effect 
may  be  great,  yea,  tho'  it  may  come  to  pafs  en  the  fame 

Occafion 


Chap,  I.  ■)  homExperience,  considered,  lot 

Sect.  IX.  3  £  ° 

Occafion  in  many  Subjects  at  the  fame  Time,  will  not 
prove  any  fix'd  Propenfity,  or  permanent  Influence.  'Tis 
true,  it  proves  anlnfluence  great  and  extenfive,  anfwerable 
to  the  Effect,  once  exerted,  or  once  effectual ;  but  it  proves 
Nothing  in  the  Caufe  fixd  or  conftant.  If  a  particular 
Tree,  or  a  great  Number  of  Trees  (landing  together,  have 
blafted  Fruit  on  their  Branches  at  a  particular  Seafon,  yea 
if  the  Fruit  be  very  much  blafted,  and  entirely  fpoiled,  it 
is  evident  that  fomething  was  the  Occafion  of  fuch  an 
Effect  at  that  Time  ;  but  this  alone  don't  prove  the  Na~ 
tlire  of  the  Tree  to  be  bad.  But  if  it  be  obferved,  that 
thofe  Trees,  and  all  other  Trees  of  the  Kind,  wherever 
planted,  and  in  all  Soils,  Countries,  Climates  and  Seafons, 
and  however  cultivated  and  managed,  (till  bear  ill  Fruit, 
from  Year  to  Year,  and  in  all  Ages,  it  is  a  good  Evidence 
of  the  evil  Nature  of  the  Tree  :  And  if  the  Fruit,  at  all 
thefeTimes,  and  in  all  thefeCafes,  be  very  bad,  it  proves 
the  Nature  of  the  Tree  to  be  very  bad.  And  if  we  argue 
in  like  Manner  from  what  appears  among  Men,  'tis  eafy 
to  determine,whether  the  univerfalSinfulnefs  of  Mankind, 
and  their  all  finning  immediately,  as  foon  as  capable  of  it, 
and  all  finning  continually,  and  generally  being  of  a 
wicked  Character,  at  all  Times,  in  all  Ages,  and  all  Places, 
and  under  all  portable  Circumftanc.es,  againft  Means  and 
Motives  inexpreffibly  manifold  and  great,and  in  the  utmoft 
conceivable  Variety,  be  from  a  permanent  internal  great 
Caufe. 

If  the  Voice  of  common  Senfe  were  attended  to,  and 
heard,  there  would  be  no  Occafion  for  Labour  in  multi- 
plying Arguments,  and  Inftances,  to  iliew,  that  one  Act 
don't  prove  a  fix'd  Inclination  ;  but  that  conftant  Practice 
and  Purfuk  does.  We  fee  that  it  is  in  Fact  agreeable  to 
the  Reafon  of  all  Mankind,  to  argue  fix'd  Principles, 
Tern  pets  and  prevailing  Inclinations,  from  repeated  and 
continued  Actions,  rW  the  Actions  are  voluntary,  and  per- 
formed of  Choice  ;  and  thus  to  judge  of  theTempers  and 
Inclinations  of  Perfons,  Ages, Sexes,  Tribes  and  Nations, 
Bus  is  it  the  Manner  of  Men  to  conclude,  that  whatever 

H  4  djey 


104         Eva  fan?  of the  Proof         Part  I. 

they  fee  others  once  do, they  haveafix'd  abidinglnclination 
to  do  : — Yea,  there  may  be  feveralA&s  feen,  and  yet  they 
not  taken  as  good  Evidence  of  an  eftablifhed  Propenfity  ; 
nay,  tho'  attended  with  that  Circumflance,  that  one  Act, 
or  thofe  feveral  Acts  are  followed  with  fuch  conflant 
Practice,  as  afterwards  evidences  frx'd  Difpofition.  As 
for  Example  ;  there  may  be  feveral  Inftances  of  a  Man's 
drinking  fome  fpirituous  Liquor,  and  they  be  no  Sign  of 
a  fix'd  Inclination  to  that  Liquor  :  But  thefe  Acts  may 
be  introductory  to  a  fettled  Habit  .or  Propenfity,  which 
may  be  made  very  manifeft  afterwards  by  conftantPractice. 
From  thefe  things  it  is  plain,  that  what  is  alledged  con- 
cerning the  frit  Sin  of  Adam,  and  of  the  Angels,without 
a  previous  fix'd  Difpofition  to  Sin,  can't  in  the  leaft  injure 
or  weaken  the  Arguments  which  have  been  brought  to 
prove  a  fix'd  Propenfity  to  Sin  in  Mankind  in  their  pre- 
sent State.  The  Thing  which  the  Permanence  of  the 
Caufe  has  been  argued  from,  is  the  Permanence  of  the 
Effect.  And  that  the  permanent  Caufe  confifts  in  an  in- 
terna! fix'd  Propenfity,  and  not  any  particular  external 
Circumflances,  has  been  argued  from  the  Effect's  being 
the  fame,  thro'  a  vaft  Variety  and  Change  of  Circumflan- 
ces.  Which  Things  don't  take  Place  with  refpect  to  the 
firft  Act  of  Sin  that  Adam  or  the  Angels  were  guilty  of; 
which  firft  Acts,  considered  in  themfclves,  were  no  per- 
manent continued  Effects.  And  tho'  a  great  Number  of 
the  Angels  Im'd,  and  the  Effect  on  that  Account  was  the 
greater,  and  more  extenfive  ;  yet  this  Extent  of  the  Effect 
is  a  very  different  Thine  from  that  Permanence,  or  fettled 
Continuance  of  the  Effect,  which  is  fuppofed  to  ihew  a 
permanent  Caufe,  or  fix'd  Influence  or  Propenfity.  Nei- 
ther was  there  any  Trial  of  a  vail  Variety  of  Circumflan- 
ces  attending  a  permanent  Effect,  to  fhcvv  the  fix'd  Caufe 
to  be  internal, confiding  in  a  fettledDifpcftion  of  Nature, 
in  the  Inftances  objected.  And  however  great  the  Sin  of 
Aclam,  or  or  the  Avgels,  was,  and  however  great  Means, 
Motives  andObligations  they  fin' d  againff  ;  whatever  may 
fee  thence  argued  concerning  the  tranfient  Caufe,  Occafion 

or 


Chap'«y?  yrfl/tfExperience,  conjidered.  105 

or  Temptation,  as  being  very  fubtil,  remarkably  tending 
to  deceive  and  feduce,  or  otherwife  great  ;  yet  it  argues 
nothing  of  any  fettled  Difpofition,  or  fix* d  Courfc  at  all, 
either  great  or  (mail  ;  the  Effect,  both  in  the  Angels,  and 
our  firit  Parents,  being  in  it  felf  t ran/lent,  and  for  Ought 
appears,  happening  in  each  of  them,  under  one  Syftem  or 
Coincidence  of  influential  Circumftances. 

The  general  continued  Wickednefs  of  Mankind,  againft 
fuch  Means  and  Motives,  proves  each  of  thefe  Things, 
viz.  that  the  Caufe  is  fix'd,  and  that  the  fix  d  Caufe  is 
internal,  in  Man's  Nature,and  alfo  that  it  is  very  powerful. 
It  proves  the  frft,  namely,  that  the  Caufe  is  .fix  a,  becaufe 
the  Effect  is  fo  abiding,  thro'  fo  many  Changes.  It  proves 
the  fecond,  that  is,  that  the  fix'd  Caufe  is  internal,  becaufe 
the  Circwmftances  are  fo  various  :  The  Variety  of  Means 
and  Motives  is  one  Thing  that  is  to  be  refer'd  to  the  Head 
of  Variety  of  Circumftances  ;  and  they  are  that  Kind  of 
Circumftances,  which  above  all  others  proves  this  ;  for 
they  are  fuch  Circumftances  as  can't  poffibly  caufe  the 
.Effect,  being  mod  oppofite  to  theEffect  in  theirTendency. 
And  it  proves  the  third,  viz.  the  Greatnefs  of  the  inter- 
nal Caufe,  or  thePovverfulncfs  of  thePropenfity  ;  becaufe 
the  Means  which  have  oppofed  it's  Influence,  *have  been 
Co  great,  and.  yet  have  been  flatedly  overcome. 

But  here  I  may  obferve  by  the  Way,  that  with  regard 
to  the  Motives  and  Obligations  which  our  firfl  Father 
fiu'd  againft.  it  is  not  reafonably  all-edged,  that  he  fin'd 
when  he  knew  his  Sin  would  have  deftructive  Con- 
fequences  to  all  his  Pofterity,  and  wight,  in  Procefs  of 
Time,  pave  the  whole  Globe  with  Skulls,  Sec.  Seeing 
'tis  Co  evident,  by  the  plain  Account  the  Scripture 
gives  us  of  theTemptation  which  prevailed  with  our  firfl 
Parents  to  commit  that  Sin,  that  it  was  fo  contrived  by 
the  Subtilty  of  the  Tempter,  as  firfl;  to  blind  and  deceive 
?em  as  to  that  Matter,  and  to  make  them  believe  that  their 
Difobedience  fliould  be  followed  with  no  Dejlrudion  or 
Calamity  at  all  to  themfelves  (and  therefore  not  to  their 

Poflerity) 


io6  The  Evajion  Part  I. 

Pofterity)  but  on  the  contrary,  with  a  great  Incrcafe  and 
Advancement  of  Dignity  and  Happinefs. 

Evafion  II.  Let  the  Wickednefs  of  the  World  be  ever 
fo  general  and  great,  there  is  no  NeceMity  of  fuppofing 
any  Depravity  of  Nature  to  be  the  Caufe  :  Man's  own 
Free-Will  is  Caufe  fufficient.  Let  Mankind  be  more  or 
lefs  corrupt,  they  make  themfelves  corrupt,  by  their  own 
free  Choice.  This  Dr.  T.  abundantly  infills  upon,  in 
many  Parts  of  his  Book.  * 

But  I  would  aik,  how  it  comes  to  pafs  that  Mankind 
fo  univerfally  agree  in  this  evil  Exercife  of  their  Free- 
Will  ?  If  their  Wills  are  in  the  firil  Place  as  free  to  Good 
as  Evil,  what  is  it  to  be  afcribed  to,  that  the  World  of 
Mankind  confiding  of  fo  many  Millions,  in  fo  many  fuc- 
ceiTiveGenerations,withoutConfultation,  all  agree  to  exer- 
cife their  Freedom  in  Favour  of  Evil  ?  If  there  be  no 
natural  Tendency  or  Preponderation  in  the  C?fe,  then 
there  is  as  good  a  Chance  for  the  Will's  being  determined 
to  Good  as  Evil.  If  the  Caufe  is  indifferent,  why  is  not 
the  Effect  in  fome  Meafure  indifferent  ?  If  the  Balance 
be  no  heavier  at  one  End  than  the  other,  why  does  it  per- 

?etually  and  as  it  were  infinitely  preponderate  one  Way  ? 
low  comes  it  to  pafs,  that  theFree-Will  of  Mankind  has 
been  determined  to  Evil,  in  like  Manner  before  the  Flood, 
and  after  the  Flood  ;  under  the  Law,  and  under  the  Gof~ 
pel  ;  among  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  under  the  Old 
Teftament  ;  and  fince  that,  zmongChriftians,  Jews,  Ma- 
hometans ;  among  Papifh  and  Protectants  ;  in  thofe  Na- 
tions where  Civility,  Politenefs,  Arts  and  Learning  mofl 
prevail,  and  among  the  Negroes  &:  Hottentots  in  Africa, 
the  Tartars  in  JLfia,  and  Indians  in  America,  towards 
both  the  Poles,  and  on  every  Side  of  the  Globe  ;  in  greateft 
Cities,  and  obfeureft  Villages ;  in  Palaces,  and  in  Hurts, 
Wigwams  and  Cells  under  Ground  ?  Is  it  enough,  to  re- 
ply, It  happens  fo,  thatMen  every  where,  and  at  allTimes 
chufe  thus  to  determine  their  own  Wills,  and  fo  to  make 
themfelves  (infill,  as  foon  as  ever  they  are  capable  of  it, 

and 

*  P.  257,258,328,329,344,421,422,  and  many  other  Places. 


Chap.  L  7  from  Free- Will,  conftdered.    107 

Sect.  IX.  3  J  'J  i 

and  to  fin  conftantly  as  long  as  they  live,  and  univerfally 
to  chule  never  to  come  up  half  Way  to  their  Duty  ? 

As  has  been  often  obferved,  a  fteady  Effect  requires  a 
fteady  Caufe  ;  but  Free-Will,  without  any  previous  Pro- 
pensity, to  influence  it's  Determinations,  is  no  permanent 
Caufe  ;  Nothing  can  be  conceived  of,  further  from  it  : 
For  the  very  Notion  of  Freedom  of  Will  confiding  in 
f  elf-determining  Power,  implies  Contingence  :  And  if  the 
Will  is  free  in  that  Senfe,  that  it  is  perfectly  free  from 
any  Government  of  previous  Inclination,  it's  Freedonv 
mufl  imply  the  mod:  abfolute  and  ferfeSl  Contingence  : 
And  furely  Nothing  can  be  conceived  of,  more  unfix'd 
than  that.  TheNotion  of  Liberty  of  Will,  in  thisSenfe, 
implies  perfect  Freedom  from  every  Thing  that  fhould 
previouily  fix,  bind  or  determine  it  ;  that  it  may  be 
left  to  be  fix'd  and  determin'd  wholly  by  itfelf  ;  There- 
fore, it's  Determinations  mufl:  be  previouily  altogether 
unfix'd.  And  can  that  which  is  fo  unfixed,  fo  contingent, 
be  a  Caufe  fufficient  to  account  for  an  Effect,  in  fuch  a 
Manner,  and  to  fach  a  Degree,  permanent,  fix'd  and 
ccnftant  ? 

When  Men  fee  only  one  particular  Perfbn  going  on  in 
a  certain  Courfe  with  great  Conflancy,  againff.  all  Manner 
of  Means  to  difTuade  him,  do  they  judge  this  to  be  no 
Argument  of  any  fix'd  Difpofition  of  Mind,  becaufe  he 
being  free  may  determine  to  do  fo,if  he  will,  without  any 
fuch  Difpofition  ?  Or  if  they  fee  a  Nation  or  People  that 
differ  greatly  from  other  Nations,  in  fuch  and  fuch  In- 
flances  of  their  conflant  Conduct,  as  tho'  their  Tempers 
and  Inclinations  were  very  diverfe,  and  any  fhould  deny 
it  to  be  from  any  fuch  Caufe,  and  fhould  fay,  We  can't 
judge  at  all  of  the  Temper  or  Difpofition  of  any  Nation 
or  People  by  any  thing  obfervable  in  their  conflant  Practice 
or  Behaviour,  becaufe  they  have  all  Free-Will,  and  there- 
fore may  all  chufe  to  act  fo,  if  they  pleafe,  without  any 
thing  in  their  Temper  or  Inclination  to  biafs  'em  ;  would 
fuch  an  Account  of  fuch  Effects  be  fatisfying  to  the  Rea- 
fon  of  Mankind  ? — But  infinitely  further  would  it  be  from 

fatisfying 


i  o  8       Eva/ions,  from  Free- Will     Part  f, 

fatisfying  a  confederate  Mind,  to  account  for  the  conft'ant 
and  univerfal  Sinfulness  of  Mankind,  by  faying,  that  the 
Will  of  all  Mankind  is  free,  and  therefore  ail  Mankind 
may,  if  they  pleafe,  make  themfeivesWicked  :  They  are 
free  when  they  frit  begin  to  aft  as  moral  Agents,  and 
therefore  all  may,  if  they  pleafe,  begin  to  fin  as  foon  as 
they  begin  to  act  :  They  are  free  as  long  as  they  continue 
to  act  in  the  World  ;  and  therefore  they  may  all  commit 
Sin  continually,  if  they  will  :  Men  of  all.  Nations  are 
free,  and  therefore  all  Nations  may  act  alike  in  theft 
Refpecls,  if  they  pleafe  (tho'  fome  don't  know  how 
other  Nations  do  act) — Men  of  high  and  low  Condition, 
learned  and  ignorant,  are  free  ;  and  therefore  they  may 
agree  in  acting  Wickedly,  if  they  pleafe  (tho'  they  don  t 
confult  together) — Men  in  allAges  are  free,  and  therefore 
Men  in  one  Age  may  all  agree  with  Men  in  every  other 
Age  in  Wickednefs,  if  they  pleafe  (tho'  they  don't  know 
how  Men  in  other  Ages  have  acted)  &c.  &c.  Let  every 
one  judge  whether  fuch  an  Account  of  Things  can  fatisfy 
Reafon. 

Eva /ton  III.  ?Tis  faid  by  many  of  the  Oppofers  of 
the  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin,  that  the  Corruption  of  the 
World  of  Mankind  may  be  owing,  not  to  a  depraved  Na- 
ture, but  to  bad  Example.  And  I  think  we  mud.  under- 
itand  Dr.  T".  as  having  refpccl  to  the  powerful  Influence 
of  bad  Infraction  and  Example,  when  he  fays,  P.  i  1 8. 
"  The  Gentiles  in  their  Heathen  State,  when  incorpo- 
tc  rated  into  the  Body  of  the  Gentile  World,  were  with- 
"  out  Strength,  unable  to  help  or  recover  themfelves." 
And  in  feveral  other  Places  to  the  like  Purpofe.  If  there 
was  no  Depravity  of  Nature,  what  elfe  could  there  be 
but  bad  Infraction  and  Example,  to  hinder  the  Heathen 
World,  as  a  collective  Body,  (for  as  fuch  Dr.  <T.  fpeaks 
of  'em,  as  may  be  feen  P.  117,  11 8.)  from  emerging  out 
of  their  Corruption,  on  the  Rife  of  each  new  Generation  I 
As  to  their  badlnftruction,  our  Author  infills  upon  it,  that 
the  Heathen,  notwithstanding  all  their  Difadvantages,  had 
fufficient  Light  to  know  God,  and  do  their  whole  Duty 

to 


s     *'ix  \  an^  b^dExample,  confidered.  109 

to  him,  as  we  have  obferved  fromTime  to  Time.  There- 
fore it  mull:  be  chiefly  bad  Example,  that  we  mutt  fup- 
pofe,  according  to  him,  render'd  their  Cafe  helplefs. 

Now  concerning  this  Way  of  accounting  for  the  Cor- 
ruption of  the  World,  by  the  Influence  of  bad  Example, 
I  would  obferve  the  following  Things  : 

1 .  'Tis  accounting  for  the  Thing  by  the  Thing  itfelf. 
It  is  accounting  for  the  Corruption  of  the  World  by  the 
Corruption  of  the  World.  For,  that  bad  Examples  are 
general  all  over  th eWorld  to  be  followed  by  others,  &  have 
been  fo  from  the  Beginning,  is  only  an  Inftance,  or  rather 
a  Defcription  of  that  Corruption  of  the  World  which  is  to 
be  accounted  for.  If  Mankind  are  naturally  no  more 
inclined  to  Evil  than  Good,  then  how  comes  there  to  be 
fo  many  more  badExamples,  than  good  ones,  in  all  Ages  ? 
And  if  there  are  not,  how  come  the  badExamples  that  are 
fet,  to  be  fo  much  more  followed,than  the  good  ?  If  the 
Propenfity  of  Man's  Nature  be  not  to  Evil,  how  comes 
the  Current  of  general  Example,  every  where,  and  at  all 
Times,  to  be  fo  much  to  Evil  ?  And  when  Oppofition 
has  been  made  by  goodExamples,  how  comes  it  to  pafs  that 
it  has  had  fo  little  EfFect  to  item  the  Stream  of  general 
wicked  Practice  ? 

I  think,  from  the  brief  Account  the  Scripture  gives  us 
of  the  Behaviour  of  the  firft  Parents  of  Mankind,  the 
ExpreiTions  of  their  Faith  and  Hope  in  God's  Mercy  re- 
vealed to  them,  we  have  Reafon  to  ftippofe,  that  before 
ever  they  had  any  Children,  they  repented,  and  were 
pardoned,  and  became  truly  pious.  So  that  God  planted 
the  World  at  firft  with  a  noble  Vine  ;  and  at  the  Begin- 
ning of  the  Generations  of  Mankind,  he  fet  the  Stream 
of  Example  the  right  Way.  And  we  fee,  that  Children 
are  more  apt  to  follow  theExample  of  their  Parents,  than 
of  any  others  ;  efpecially  in  early  Youth,  their  forming 
Time,  when  thofe  Habits  are  generally  contracted,  which 
abide  by  them  all  their  Days.  And  befides,  Adam's  Chil- 
dren had  no  otherExamples  to  follow,  but  thofe  of  their 
Parents,     How  therefore  came  the  Stream  fo  foon  to 

turn, 


no  The  Evajion^  Part  I. 

turn,  and  to  proceed  the  contrary  Way,  with  fo  violent  a 
Current  ?  Then,  when  Mankind  became  fo  univerfally 
and  defperately  corrupt,  as  not  to  be  fit  to  live  on  Earth 
any  longer,  and  the  World  was  every  where  full  of  bad 
Examples,  God  deftroyed  'em  all  at  once,  but  only  righ- 
teous Noah,  and  his  Family,  to  remove  thofe  bad  Ex- 
amples, and  that  the  World  of  Mankind  might  be  planted 
again  with  good  Example,  and  the  Stream  again  turned 
the  rightWay  :  How  therefore  came  it  to  pafs,thatiV^/?'s 
Pofterity  did  not  follow  his  good  Example,  efpecially  when 
they  had  fuch  extraordinary  Things  to  enforce  his  Ex- 
ample, but  fo  generally,  even  in  his  Life-time,  became  fo 
exceeding  Corrupt  ?  One  would  think,  the  firft  Genera- 
tions at  leaft,  while  all  lived  together  as  oneFamily,under 
JSloahy  their  venerable  Father,  might  have  followed  his 
good  Example  :  And  if  they  had  done  fo,  then,  when  the 
Earth  came  to  be  divided  in  Pelegs  Time,  the  Heads  of 
the  feveral  Families  would  have  fet  out  their  particular 
Colonies  with  good  Examples,  and  the  Stream  would  have 
been  turned  the  right  Way  in  all  the  various  Divisions, 
Colonies  and  Nations  of  the  World.  But  we  fee  verily 
the  Fact  was,  that  in  about  fifty  Years  after  Noatfs  Death, 
the  World  in  general  was  over-run  with  dreadful  Corrup- 
tion •,  fo  that  all  Virtue  and  Goodnefs  was  like  foon  to 
perifh  from  among  Mankind,  unlefs  fomething  extraordi- 
nary fliould  be  done  to  prevent  it. 

Then,  for  a  Remedy,  God  fcparated  Abraham  and  his 
Family  from  all  the  reft  of  the  World,  that  they  might 
be  delivered  from  the  Influence  of  bad  Example,  that  in 
his  Pofterity  he  might  have  a  holy  Seed.  Thus  God 
again  planted  a  noble  Vine  ;  Abraham,  Ifaac  8c  Jacob, 
being  eminently  pious.  But  how  foon  did  their  Pofterity 
degenerate,  till  true  Religion  was  like  to  be  fwal lowed 
up  ?  We  fee  how  defperately,  and  almoft  univerfally  cor- 
rupt they  were,whenGod  brought  'em  out  of  Egypt,  and 
led  them  in  the  Wildernefs. 

Then  God  was  pleafed,  before  he  planted  his  People 
in  Canaan,  to  deftroy  that  pervejfe  Generation  in  the 

Wildernefs-; 


Chap.  I.  ?  jrom  badExam]Ae,conJiciered.  ill 

Wildernefs,  that  he  might  plant  'em  there  a  noble  Vine, 
-wholly  a  right  Seed,  and  fet  'em  out  with  good  Example, 
in  the  Land  where  they  were  to  have  their  fettled  Abode. 
Jer.  ii.  21.  It  is  evident,that  the  Generation  which  came 
with  JoJJma  into  Canaan,  was  an  excellent  Generation, 
by  innumerable  Things  faid  of  'em.*  But  how  foon  did 
that  People,  neverthelefs,  become  the  degenerate  Plant 
of  a  grange  Vine  f 

And  when  the  Nation  had  a  long  Time  proved  them- 
felves  defperately  and  incurably  corrupt,  God  deftroyed 
them,  and  fent  'em  into  Captivity,  till  the  old  Rebels  were 
dead  and  purged  out,  to  deliver  their  Children  from  their 
evil  Example  :  And  when  the  following  Generation  were 
purified  as  in  a  Furnace,  God  planted  'em  again,  in  the 
Land  of  Ifrael,  a  noble  Vine,  and  fet  'em  out  with  good 
Example  ;  which  yet  was  not  followed  by  their  Pofterity, 

When  again  the  Corruption  was  become  inveterate  and 
defperate,  the  Chriftian  Chutch  was  planted  by  a  glorious 
Out-pouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  caufing  true  Virtue  and 
Piety  to  be  exemplified  in  the  firft  Age  of  the  Church  of 
Chrift,  far  beyond  whatever  had  been  on  Earth  before  ; 
and  the  Chriftian  Church  was  planted  a  noble  Vine,  But 
that  primitive  good  Example  has  not  prevailed,  to  caufc 
Virtue  to  be  generally  and  ftedfaftly  maintained  in  the 
Chriftian  World  :  To  how  great  a  Degree  it  has  been 
otherwife,  has  already  been  obferved. 

After  many  Ages  of  general  and  dreadful  Apoftacy, 
God  was  plcafed  to  erecl  the  Proteftant  Church,  as  fepa- 
rated  from  the  more  corrupt  Part  of  Chriftendom  ;  and 
true  Piety  flourifhed  very  much  in  it  at  firft ;  God  planted 
it  a  noble  Vine  :  But  notwithstanding  the  good  Examples 
of  the  firft  Reformers,  what  a  melancholy  Pafs  is  the  Pro- 
teftant World  come  to  at  this  Day  ? 

When 


*  See  Jer.  ii.  2,  3.  Pfal.  Ixviii.  14.  Jofh.  xxii,  2.  and 
xxiii.  $.  Deut.  iv.  3,  4.  Hof.  xi.  I.  and  ix,  16,  Judg, 
ii»  7>  *7>  22,  and  many  other  Place*,. 


1 1  2  TJje  Evafo?i>  Part  1. 

When  England  grew  very  corrupt,  God  brought  over 
a  Number  of  pious  Perfons,  &  planted  'em  \nNew-Eng+ 
land,  and  this  Land  was  planted  with  a  noble  Vine.  But 
how  is  the  Gold  become  dim  !  Plow  greatly  have  we 
forfiiken  the  pious  Examples  of  our  Fathers  1 

So  prone  have  Mankind  always  proved  themfelves  to 
Degeneracy,  and  bent  to  Backfliding.  Which  fhews 
plainly  their  natural  Propenfity  ;  and  that  whenGocd  had 
revived.,  and  been  promoted  among  Men,  it  has  been  by 
Tome  divine  Interposition,  to  oppofe  the  natural  Current ; 
the  Fruit  of  fbjrrie  extraordinary  Means,  the  Efficacy  of 
which  has  foon  been  overcome  by  conuant  natural  Biafs, 
and  the  Effect  of  good  Example  prefently  loft,  and  Evil 
.has  regained  and  maintain^  the  Dominion  :  Like  an  heavy 
Body,  which  may  by  fome  great  Power  be  caufed  to  af- 
cend,  againft  it'sNature,  a  little  while,  but  foon  goes  back 
again  towards  the  Center,  to  which  it  naturally  and  con- 
ftantly  tends. 

So  that  evil  Example  will  in  no  wife  account  for  the 
Corruption  of  Mankind,  without  fuppofmg  a  natural 
Pronenefs  to  Sin.  The  Tendency  of  Example  alone 
will  not  account  for  general  wicked  Practice,  as  confe- 
quent  on  good  Example.  And  if  the  Influence  of  bad 
Example  is  a  Reafon  of  fome  of  the  Wickednefs  that  is 
in  theWorld,that  alone  will  notaccount  forMens  becoming 
worfe  than  the  Example  fet,  and  degenerating  more  and 
more,  and  growing  worfe  and  worfe,  which  has  been  the 
Manner  of  Mankind. 

'  2.  There  has  been  given  to  the  World  an  Example  of 
Virtue,  which,  were  it  not  for  a  dreadful  Depravity  of 
Nature,  would  have  Influence  on  them  that  live  under 
the  Gofpel,  far  beyond  all  other  Examples  ;  and  that  is 
the  Example  of  Jefus  Chrift. 

God,  who  knew  the  humanNature,  and  how  apt  Men 
are  to  be  influenced  by  Example,  has  made  anfwerable 
Provificn.  His  infinite  Wifdom  has  contrived  that  we 
fhould  have  fet  before  us  the  mo  ft  amiable  and  perfect 
Example,  in  fuchCircumftances  as  fhould  have  the  greateft 

Tendency 


Chap.  t.  £  from  bad  Example,  considered.  113 

Sict.  IX.  \  J 

Tendency  to  influence  all  the  Principles  of  Man's  Nature* 
but  his  Corruption.  Men  are  apt  to  be  moved  by  the 
Example  of  others  like  t hem/elves,  or  in  their  own  Na* 
ture  :* therefore  this  Example  was  given  in  our  Nature. 
Men  are  ready  to  follow  the  Examples  of  the  great  and 
honourable  :  and  this  Example*  tho'  it  was  of  one  in  our 
Nature,  yet  it  was  of  one  infinitely  higher  and  more  ho- 
nourable than  Kings  or  Angels.  A  People  are  apt  to 
follow  the  hxamplc  of  their  Prince  :  This  is  the  Ex- 
ample of  that  glorious  Perfon,  who  (lands  in  a  peculiar 
Relation  to  Chriitbns,  as  their  Lord  &  King,  the  fupream 
Head  of  the  Church  ;  and  not  only  fo  but  the  King  of 
Kings,  fupream  Head  of  the  Univerfe,  and  Hend  over  all 
Things  to  the  Church.  Children  are  apt  to  follow  the 
Example  of'  their  Parents  :  This  is  the  Example  of  the 
Author  of  our  Being,  and  one  who  is  in  a  peculiar  and 
extraordinary  Manner  our  Father,  as  he  is  the  Author  of 
our  holy  and,  happy  Being  ;  beiides  his  being  the  Creator 
of  the  World,  arid  everlatting  Father  of  the  Univerfe* 
Men  are  very  apt  to  follow  the  Example  of  their  Friends  : 
The  Example  of  Chriit  is  of  one  that  is  infinitely  our 
greateft  Friend,  (landing  in  the  mod  endearing  Relations 
of  our  Brother,  Redeemer,  fpiritual  Head  and  Hufband  s 
whofeGrace  and  Love  exprefled  to  us,  tranfcends  all  other 
Love  and  Friendmip,  as  much  as  Heaven  is  higher  than 
the  Earth.  And  the  Virtu.es  and  Acts  of  his  Example 
were  exhibited  to  us  in  the  mod  endearing  and  engaging 
Circiimftances  that  can  polTibly  be  conceived  of  :  His 
Obedience  and  Submiflion  to  God,  his  Humility,  Meek- 
nefs,  Patience,  Charity,  Self-Denial,  &c>  being  exercifed 
and  expreded  in  a  Work  of  infinite  Grace,  Love,  Conde- 
fcenfion  and  Beneficence  to  us  ;  and  had  all  their  higheft 
Expreflion  in  his  laying  down  his  Life  for  us,  and  meek- 
ly, patiently  and  cheerfully  undergoing  fuch  extreme  and 
unutterable  SufFering,for  our  eternal  Salvation.  Men  are 
peculiarly  apt  to  follow  the  Example  of  fuch  as  they  have 
great  Benefits  from  :  But  it  is  utterly  impoflible  to  con* 
ceive  of  greater  Benefits,  that  we  could  have  by  the  Vir« 


1*4  7>fe  Evajion^  from  Part  L 

tues  of  any  Perfon,  than  we  have  by  the  virtuous  A&s  of 
Chrift  ;  who  depend  upon  being  thereby  faved  from  eter- 
nal DeftrucYion,  and  brought  to  inconceivable  immortal 
Glory  at  God's  right  Hand.  Surely  if  it  were  not  for  an 
extreme  Corruption  of  the  Heart  of  Men,  fnch  an 
ample  would  have  that  ftrong  Influence  on  the  Heart,  that 
would  as  it  were  fwallow  up  the  Power  of  all  the  evil  and 
hateful  Examples  of  a  Generation  of  Vipers. 

3.  The  Influence  of  bad  Example,  without  Corruption 
of  Nature,  will  not  account  forChildren's  univerfally  com- 
mitting Sin  as  foon  as  capable  of  it  ;  which,  I  think,  is  a 
Fa£r.  that  has  been  made  evident  by  the  Scripture.  ]  t  will 
not  account  for  this,  in  the  Children  of  eminently  pious 
Parents  ;  the  firil  Examples,  that  are  fet  in  their  View, 
being  very  good  ;  which,  as  has  been  obferved,  was  efpe- 
cially  the  Cafe  of  many  Children  in  Chriftian  Families  in 
the  Apoftles  Days,  when  the  Apoftle  John  fuppofes  that 
every  individual  Perfon  had  Sin  to  repent  of,  and  confefs 
to  God. 

4.  What  Dr.  T.  fuppofes  to  have  been  Facl:  with  refpeel: 
to  great  Part  of  Mankind,  cannot  confidently  be  accounted 
for  from  the  Influence  of  bad  Example,  viz.  the  State  of 
the  Heathen  World,  which  he  fuppofes,  confidered  as  a 
collective  Body,  was  helplefs,  dead  in  Sin,  and  unable  to 
recover  it  felf.  Not  evil  Example  alone,  nomor  as  united 
with  evil  InftrucYion,  can  be  fuppofed  a  fufficient  Reafoii 
why  every  new  Generation  that  arofe  among  them,fhou Id 
not  be  able  to  emerge  from  the  Idolatry  and  Wicked nefs 
of  their  Anceftors,  in  any  Confidence  with  his  Scheme, 
The  ill  Example  of  Anceftors  could  have  no  Power  to 
oblige  them  to  fin,  any  other  Way  than  as  a  ftrong  Temp- 
tation. But  Dr.  7".  himfelf  fays,  P.  348.  "  To  fuppofe 
"w  Men's  Temptations  to  be  fuperiour  to  their  Powers, 
<e  will  impeach  the  Gcodnefs  and  Jttftice  of  God,  who 
"  appoints  every  Man's  Trial."  And  as  to  bad  Inftrucf  i- 
ons,  as  was  obferved  before,  he  fuppofes  that  they  all,yea 
every  individual  Perfon,  had  Light  fufficient  to  knowGod, 
and  do  their  whole  Duty,     And  if  each  one  could  do  this 

'  for 


CHA?ix  \  S^ei^%  the  St  art  of  Reafon.  1 1  g 

for  Himfelf,  then  furely  they  might  all  be  agreed  in  it 
thro'  the  Power  of  Free- Will,  as  well  as  the  whole  World 
be  agreed  in  Corruption  by  the  fame  Power. 

Eva/ion  IV.  Some  modern  Oppofers  of  the  Doctrine 
of  Original  Sin  do  thus  account  for  the  general  Pre- 
valence of  Wickednefs,  viz.  that  in  a  Courfe  of  Nature 
our  Senfes  grow  up  firft,  and  the  animal  Paffions  get  the 
Start,  of  Reafon.  So  Dr.  Tumbull  fays,  *  "  Senfitive 
44  Objects  firft  affect  us,  and  in  as  much  as  Reafon  is  a 
44  Principle,  which,  in  the  Nature  of  Things,  mud  be  ad- 
44  vanced  to  Strength  and  Vigour,  by  gradual  Cultivation, 
44  and  ^eir  Objects  are  continually  affailing  and  foliating 
"  us  ;  ib  that,  unlefs  a  very   happy  Education  prevents, 

44  our  fenfitive  Appetites  mult  have  become  very  Strong, 
4*  before  Reafon  can  have  Force  enough  to  call  them  to 
4<  an  Account,  and  affume  Authority  over  them."  From 
hence  Dr.  Tumbull  fuppofes  it  comes  to  pafs,  f  "  That 

45  tho'  fome  few  may,  thro'  the  Influence  of  virtuous  Ex- 
44  ample,  be  faid  to  be  fanctified  from  the  Womb,  fo  iibe- 
44  ral,  fo  generous,  fo  virtuous,  fo  truly  noble  is  their  Cart 
44  of  Mind  ;  yet,  generally  fpeaking,  the  whole  World 
44  lieth  in  fuch  Wickednefs,  that,  with  refpect  to  the  far 
44  greater  Part  of  Mankind,  the  Study  of  Virtue  is  begin- 
65  riing  to  reform,  and  is  a  fevere  Struggle  againft  bad 
44  Habits,  early  contracted,  and  deeply  rooted  ;  it  is  there- 
84  fore  putting  off  an  old  inveterate  corrupt  Nature,  and 
44  putting  on  a  new  Form  and  Temper  ;  it  is  moulding 
44  our  felves  a-new  j  it  is  a  being  born  again,  and  becoming 

44  as  Children. And  how  few  are  there  in  the  World, 

44  who  efcape  it's  Pollutions,  fo  as  not  to  be  early  in  that 
44  Clafs,  or  to  be  among  the  Righteous  that  need  no  Re- 
44  pentance  ? 

Dr.  Taylor,  tho9  he  is  riot  fo  explicit,  feeiris  to  hint  at 
the  fameThing,  P.  192.  "  'Tis  by  flow  Degrees  (fays  he) 
44  that  Children  come  to  the  Ufe  of  Understanding  ;  the 
"  animal  Paffions  being  for  fome  Years  the  governing  Pare 

I  2  of 


* 


See  Mor.  Phil.  P.  279.  and  Qhrif  PhiU  P,  274.     t  Chrif 
Pbih  P,  %U>  2** 


1 1 6      The  Eva/ton^  from  Senfe       Part  !o 

«c  of  their  Conftitution.  And  therefore,  tho'  they  may  be 
il  froward  and  apt  to  difpleafe  us,  yet  how  far  this  is  Sin 
cc  in  them,  we  are  not  capable  of  judging.  But  it  may 
*4  fuffice  to  fay,  that  'tis  the  Will  of  God  that  Children 
*'  fhould  have  Appetites  and  PafFtons  to  regulate  and  re* 
*'  {train,  that  he  hath  given  Parents  Inftruclions  and  Com* 
«;  mands  to  difcipline  and  inform  their  Minds,  that  if  Pa= 
"  rents  firft  learned  true  Wifdom  for  themfelves,  and  then 
*'  endeavoured  to  bring  up  their  Children  in  the  Way  of 
«'  Virtue,  there  would  be  leis  Wickednefs  in  the  World P 
Concerning  thefe  Things  I  would  obferve,  that  iuch  a 
Scheme  is  attended  with  tne  very  fame  Drflicukies,which 
they  that  advance  it  would  avoid  by  it ;  liable  to  the  fame 
Objections,  which  they  makbagainft  God's  ordering  it  fo 
that  Men  fhould  be  brought  into  Being  with  a  prevailing 
Propenfity  to  Sin.  For  this  Scheme  fuppofes,  the  Author 
of  Nature  has  fo  ordered  Things,  that  Men  fhould  come 
into  Being  as  moral  Agents,  that  is,  fhould  firft  have  Ex- 
igence in  a  St:.te  and  Capacity  of  moral  Agency,  under  a 
prevai  ing  Propenfity  to  Sin.  For  that  Strength,  which 
fenfitive  Appetites  and  animal  PafTions  come  to  by  their 
habitual  Exercife,  before  Perfons  come  to  the  Exercife  of 
their  rational  Powers,  amounts  to  a  flrong  Propenfity  to 
Sin,  when  they  firft  come  to  the  Exercife  of  thofe  ratio- 
3ial  Powers,  by  the  Suppofition  :  becaufe  this  is  given  as 
a  Reafon  why  the  :  cale  is  turned  for  Sin  among  Man* 
kind,  and  why,  generally  /peaking,  the  whole  World  lies 
snJFickednefs,  and  the  Study  of  Virtue  is  a  fever  e  Strug* 
gle  againft  bad  Habits,  early  contracted,  and  deeply 
looted.  Thefe  deeply  rooted  Habits  muft  imply  a  Ten- 
dency to  Sin  ;  otherwife  they  could  not  account  for  that 
which  they  are  brought  to  account  for,  namely,  prevail- 
ing Wickednefs  in  the  World  :  For  that  Caufe  can't  ac- 
count for  an  Effect,  which  is  fuppofed  to  have  no  Ten- 
dency to  that  Effect  And  this  Tendency  which  is  fup- 
pofed, is  altogether  Equivalent  to  a  natural  Tendency  : 
*Tis  as  neceflary  to  the  Subject  For  it  is  fuppofed  to  be 
orought  on  the  Pcrfon  who  is  the  Subject  of  it,  when  he 

has 


sifcT^'ix  \  &ett*n&  f^e  Start  of  Reafon.   1 1 7 

has  no  Power  to  withfland  or  oppofe  it  :  The  Habit,  as 
Dr,  Turnbu/I  fays,  becoming  very  flrong,  before  Reafon 
can  have  Force  enough  to  call  the  Palfions  to  Account, 
or  aflume  Authority  over  them.  And  'tis  fuppofed,that 
this  Neceflity,  by  which  Men  become  fubjecl  to  this  Pro* 
penfity  to  Sin,  is  from  the  Ordering  and  Difpofal  of  the 
Author  of  Nature  ;  and  therefore  mufl  be  as  much  from 
bis  Hand,  and  as  much  without  the  Hand  of  the  Perfon 
himfelf,  as  if  he  were  flrft  brought  into  Being  with  fuch  a 
Propenfry.  Moreover,  it  is  fuppofed  that  theEffe£t,  which 
the  Tendency  is  to,  is  truly  Wickednefs*  For  'tis  alledgr 
ed  as  a  Caufe  or  Reafon  why  the  whole  World  lies  in 
Jf/ickedmfs,  and  why  all  but  a  very  few  are  firft  in  the 
Clafs  of  the  Wicked,  and  not  among  the  Righteous  that 
need  no  Repentance.  If  they  need  Repentance,  what 
they  are  guilty  of  is  truly  &  properly  Wickednefs,or  moral 
Evil  ;  for  certainly  Men  need  no  Repentance  for  that 
which  is  no  Sin,  or  blameable  Evil.  If  it  be  fo,  that  a$ 
a  Confequence  of  this  Propenfity,  the  World  lies  in 
Wickt  dnefs,  and  the  far  greater  Part  are  of  a  wicked 
Character,  without  Doubt,  the  far  greater  Part  go  to  eter- 
nal Perdition  :  For  Death  don't  pick  and  chooie,  only 
for  Men  of  a  righteous  Character.  And  certainly  that 
is  an  evil  corrupt  State  of  Things, which  naturally  tends  to, 
and  iilues  in  that  Confequence,  that  as  it  were  the  whole 
World  lies  and  lives  in  Wickednefs,  and  dies  in  Wicked* 
nefs,  and  perifh.es  eternally.  And  this  by  the  Suppofitioit 
is  a  State  of  Things  wholly  of  the  Ordering  of  the  Au> 
thor  of  Nature,  before  Mankind  are  capable  of  having 
any  Hand  in  the  Affair.  And  is  this  any  Relief  to  the 
Difficulties,  which  thefe  Writers  object  againft  theDoctrine 
of  natural  Depravity  ? 

And  I  might  here  alfo  obferve,  that  this  Way  of  ac- 
counting for  the  Wickednefs  of  the  World,  amounts  to 
juft  the  fame  Thing  with  that  Solution  of  Man's  Depra- 
vity,  which  was  mentioned  before,  that  Dr.  T.  cries  ouf: 
of  as  too  grofs  to  be  admitted,  (P.  188,  189.)  viz.  God's 
creating  the  Soul  pure,  and  putting  it  into  fuch  a  Bcdyf 

I  3  as 


1 1 8  Of  that  Evafion,  that        Part  L 

as  naturally  tends  to  pollute  it.  For  this  Scheme  fup« 
poles,  that  God  creates  the  Soul  pure,  and  puts  it  into  a 
Body,  and  into  fuch  a  State  in  that  Body,  that  the  natural 
Confcquence  is  a  ftrong  Propensity  to  Sin,  as  foon  as  the 
Soul  is  capable  of  finning. 

Dr.  'Turnbull  feems  to  fuppofe,  that  the  Matter  could 
not  have  been  ordered  otherwife,  confident  with  the  Na- 
ture of  Things,  than  that  animal  Paffions  fliould  be  fo 
aforehand  with  Reafon,  as  that  the  Confequence  fhoUid 
be  that  which  has  been  mentioned  j  becaufe  Reafon  is  a 
Faculty  of  fuch  a  Nature,  that  it  can  have  Strength  ad 
Vigour  no  otherwife  than  by  Exercife  and  Culture,1*  But 
can  there  be  any  Force  in  this  ?  Is  there  any  Thing  in 
Nature,  to  make  it  impoffible,  but  that  the  fuperiour  Prin- 
ciples of  Man's  Nature  fhould  be  fo  proportioned  to  the 
inferiour,  as  to  prevent  fuch  a  dreadful  Confequence,  as 
the  moral  and  natural  Ruin,  and  eternal  Perdition  of  the 
far  greater  Part  of  Mankind  ?  Could  not  thofe  fuperiour 
"Principles  be.  in  vaftly  greater  Strength  at  firft,  and  yet  be 
capable  of  endlefs  Improvement  ?  And  what  fliould  hinder 
it's  being  fo  ordered  by  the  Creator,  that  they  fhould  im- 
prove by  vaftly  fwifter  Degrees  than  they  do  ?  If  we  are 
Chriftians,  we  mud  be  forced  to  allow  it  to  be  poftible  in 
the  Nature  of  Things,  that  the  Principles  of  human  Na- 
ture fliould  be  fo  balanced,  that  the  Confequence  fliould 
be  no  Propenfity  to  Sin,  in  the  firft  Beginning  of  a  Capa- 
city of  moral  Agency  ;  becaufe  we  mult  own,  that  it  was 
fo  in  FacT:  in  jldam,  when  firft  created,  and  alfo  in  the 
Man  Chrift  Jefus  ;  tho'  the  Faculties  of  the  latter  were 
fuch  as  grew  by  Culture  and  Improvement,  fo  that  he  in- 
creafed  in  Wifdom,  as  he  grew  in  Stature 

Evafton  V.  Seeing  Men  in  this  World  are  in  a  State 
of  Trial,  it  is  fit  that  their  Virtue  fliould  meet  with  Trials, 
and  confequently  that  it  fliould  have  Oppofition-&  Temp- 
tation to  overcome  ;  not  only  from  without,  but  from  with- 
in, in  the  animalPaflions  &  Appetites  we  have  to  ftruggle 
with  j  that   by  the  Conflict  and  Victory  our  Virtue  may 

be 


PhiL  P.  in, 


Chap  J  1         Virtue  mull  be  tried.  i  in 

Sect.  IX.  5 

be  relaned  &  eftabliilied.  Agreeable  to  this  Dr. 7". (P. 2 5 3.) 
fays,  "  Without  a  right  Ufe  and  Application  of  our 
44   Powers,  were  they  naturally  ever  fo  perfect,  we  could 

* l  not  be  judged  fit  to  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  God. — 

"  This  gives  a  good  Reafon  why  we  are  now  in  a  State  of 
st  Trial  and  Temptation,  viz,  to  prove  and  difcipline  our 
"  Minds,to  feafon  ourVirtue,  and  to  fit  us  for  the  Kingdom 
6i  of  God  ;  for  which  ?  in  the  Judgment  of  inhniteWifdom, 
"  we  cannot  be  qualified,  but  by  overcoming  our  prefent 
f*  Temptations."  And  in  P.  354.  he  fays,  "  We  are 
st  upon  Trial,  and  it  is  the  Will  of  our  Father  that  our 
is  Conftitution  fliould  be  attended  with  various  PafTions 
6i  andAppetites,as  well  as  our  outwardCondition  with  vari- 
"  ous  Temptations."  He  fays  the  like  in  feveral  other 
Places.  To  the  fame  Purpofe  very  often  Dr.  Turnbull  1 
particularly,  Chrlj.  Phil.  P.  310.  "  What  Merit  (fays  he) 
except  from  Combat  ?  What  Virtue  without  the  En- 
counter of  fuch  Enemies,  fochTcmptationsasarifeboth 
from  within,  and  from  abroad  f  To  be  virtuous,  is  to 
prefer  the  Pleafures  of  Virtue,  to  thofe  which  come 
into  Competition  with  it,  and  Vice  holds  forth  to  tempt 
us ;  and  to  dare  to  adhere  toTruth  and  Goodnefs,  what- 
everPains  &Hardfhips  it  may  cofl.  There  muft  there- 
fore,  in  Order  to  theFormaiion  and  Trial,  in  Order  to 
the  very  Being  of  Virtue,  be  Pleafures  of  a  certain  Kind 
to  make  Temptations  to  Vice." 
In  Reply  to  thefe  Things  I  would  fay,  either  the  State 
of  Temptation  which  is  fuppofed  to  be  ordered  for  Men's 
Trial,  amounts  on  the  whole  to  a  prevailing  Tendency  to 
that  State  of  general  Wickednefs  and  Ruin,  which  has  been 
proved  to  take  Place,  or  it  does  not.  If  it  does  not  amount 
to  a  Tendency  to  fuch  an  EfFe6t,  then  how  does  it  account 
for  it  ?  When  it  is  enquired,  by  what  Caufe  fuch  anEffeft 
fliould  come  to  pafs,  is  it  not  abfurd  to  alledge  a  Caufe, 
which  is  own'd  at  the  fame  Time  to  have  no  Tendency 
to  fuch  anEfTecl:  i  Which  is  as  much  as  to  confefs>  that  it 
will  not  account  for  it,  I  think,  it  has  been  demonftrated 
that  this  £fle&  muft  be  owing  to  fom,e  prevailing  Ten- 
J  4  dency. 


2  20        Of *  Virtue h  being  tried.       Part  I, 

dency.  If  the  other  Part  of  the  Dilemma  be  taken,  and 
it  be  fald,  that  thisState  of  Things  does  imply  a  prevailing 
Tendency  to  that  Effect  which  has  been  proved,  viz.  that 
all  Mankind,  without  the  Exception  of  fo  much  as  one, 
fin  againfi  God,  to  their  own  deferved  and  juft  eternal 
Ruin  ;  and  not  only  fo,  but  fin  thus  immediately,  as  foon 
as  capable  of  ir,  and  fin  continually,  and  have  more  Sin 
than  Virtue,  and  have  Guilt  that  infinitely  outweighs  the 
Value  of  all  the  Goodnefs  any  ever  have,  and  that  the 
Generality  of  the  World  in  all  Ages  are  extremely  ftupid 
and  foolifh,  and  of  a  wicked  Character,  and  actually  perifh 
forever  ;  I  fay,  if  the  State  of  Temptation  implies  a  na- 
tural Tendency  to  (uch  an  Effect  as  this,  it  is  a  very  evil, 
corrupt  and  dreadful  State  of  Things,  as  has  been  already 
largely  fh.ewn. 

Befides,  fuch  a  State  has  a  Tendency  to  defeat  it's  own 
fuppofed  End,  which  is  to  refine,  ripen  and  perfect:  Virtue 
in  Mankind,  and  fo  to  fit  Men  for  the  greater  eternal 
Happinefs  and  Glory  :  Whereas,  the  Effect  it  tends  to,  is 
the  Reverfe  of  this,  viz.  general,  eternal  Infamy  and  Ruin, 
in  allGeherations.  ?Tis  fuppofed,  thatMen's  Virtue  muft 
have  Paflions  and  Appetites  to  flruggle  with,  in  order  to 
have  the  Glory  and  Reward  of  Victory  :  but  the  Confe- 
-quence  is,  a  prevailing,  continual,  and  generally  effectual 
Tendency,  not  to  Men's  Victory  over  evil  appetites  and 
PaJ/Ions,  and  the  glorious  Reward  of  that  Victory,  but  to 
the  Victory  of  evil  Appetites  and  Lufb  over  Men,  and 
utterly  and  eternally  dettroying  them.  If  a  Trial  of  Vir- 
tue be  requifite,  yet  theQueftion  is,  Whence  comes  fo  ge- 
neral a  failing  in  the  Trial,  if  there  be  no  Depravity  of 
Nature  ?  If  Conflict  &  War  be  neceffary,  yet  furely  there 
is  no  Ncceffity  that  there  fhouid  be  more  Cowards  than 
good  Soldiers  ;  unlefs  it  be  necefTary  that  Men  fhouid  be 
overcome  and  deftroyed  :  Efpecially  is  it  not  neceffary 
that  the  whole  World  as  it  were  fhouid  lie  in  Wickednefs, 
iand  fo  lie  and  die  in  Cowardice. 

I  might  alfo  here  obferve,  that  Dr.  TurnbuII  is  not  very 
aonfiflent,  in  fuppofing,  that  Combat  with  Temptation  is 

recniifitc 


Chap.  ii.  Argu  from  umverfalWLoYt&Vity.  121 

requifite  to  the  very  Being  of  Virtue.  For  I  think  it  clear- 
ly follows  from  his  own  Notion  of  Virtue,  that  Virtue 
mud  have  a  Behag'prior  to  any  virtuous  or  praife-worthy 
Combat  with  Temptation.  For  by  his  Principles, ,  all 
Virtue  lies  in  good  Affe&ion,  and  no  A&ions  can  be  vir- 
tuous, but  what  proceed  from  good  AffecYion.*  There- 
fore, furely  the  Combat  it  felf  can  have  no  Virtue  in  it, 
unlefs  it  proceeds  from  virtuous  Affection  :  And  th-  re- 
fore  Virtue  mud  have  an  Exiftence  before  the  Combat, 
and  be  the  Caufe  of  it. 


Chap,     II. 

Univerfal  Mortality  proves  Original  Sin  ; 
particularly  the  Death  of  Infants,  with 
us  various  Circumjlances. 

THE  univerfal  Reign  of  T>eath,  over  Perfons  of  all 
Ages indifcriminately, with  the  awful  Circumftances 
and  Attendants  of  Death,  proves  that  Men  come  finful 
into  the  World. 

It  is  needlefshere  particularly  to  enquire, WhetherGod 
has  not  a  fovereigr  Right  to  fet  Bounds  to  the  Lives  of 
his  own  Creatures,  be  they  finful,  or  not  ;  and  as  he 
gives  Life;,  fo  to  take  it  away  when  he  pleafes  ?  Or 
how  far  God  has  a  Right  to  bring  extreme  Suffering  and 
Calamity  on  an  innocent  moral  Agent  ?  For  Death,  with 
the  Pains  and  Agonies  with  which  it  is  ufually  brought 
on,  is  not  meerly  a  limiting  of  Exiftence,  but  is  a  moft  ter- 
rible Calamity  ;  and  to  fuch  a  Creature  as  Man,  capable 
of  conceiving  of  Immortality,  and  made  with  fo  earned  a 
Defire  after  it,  and  capable  of  Forefight  &  of  Reflection  on 
approaching  Death,  and  that  has  fuch  an  extreme  Dread 
pf  it,  is  a  Calamity  above  all  others  terrible,  to  fuch  as 

are 

«u  '  111    iii j 1  ill     IMllWiWiwirrw; 

8  Chrif.  Phi},  ?,   1 13,  U|,   115, 


122  ^ffiiBion  and  Death  Part  1 ; 

are  able  to  reflect  upon  it.  I  fay,  'tis  needlefs,elaborately 
to  confider,  whether  God  may  not,  confident  with  his  Per- 
fections, by  abfolute  Sovereignty,  bring  fo  great  a  Cala- 
mity on  Mankind  when  perfectly  innocent.  It  is  liiffici- 
ent,  if  we  have  goodEvidence  from  Scripture,  that  'tis  not 
agreeable  to  God's  Manner  of  dealing  with  Mankind,  fo 
to  do. 

'Tis  manifeft,  that  Mankind  were  not  originally  fub- 
jected  to  this  Calamity  ;  God  brought  it  on  them  after- 
wards, on  Occafion  of  Man's  Sin,  at  a  Time  of  the  Man;- 
feftaticn  of  God's  great  Difpleafure  for  Sin,  and  by  a  De- 
nunciation and  Sentence  pronounced  by  him,  as  acting  the 
Part  of  a  Judge  ;  as  Dr.  Tl  often  confeiles.  Sin  entred 
into  theWorld,&Death  bySin,  as  theApoitle  fays.  Which 
certainly  leads  us  to  fuppofe^  that  this  Affair  was  ordered 
of  God,  not  meerly  by  the  Sovereignty  of  a  Creator,  but 
by  the  Righteoufnefs  of  a  Judge.  And  the  Scripture  e= 
very  where  fpeaks  of  all  great  Afflictions  and  Calamities, 
which  God  in  his  Providence  brings  on  Mankind,  as  Tefti- 
monies  of  his  Difpleafure  for  Sin,  in  the  Subject  of  thofe 
Calamities  ;  excepting  thofe  Sufferings  which  are  to  attonc 
for  the  Sins  of  others.  He  ever  taught  his  People  to  look 
on  fuch  Calamities  as  his  Rod,  the  Rod  of  his  Anger y  his 
Frowns ,  the  Hidings  of  his  Face  in  Difpleafure.  Hence 
fuch  Calamities  are  in  Scripture  fo  often  called  by  the 
Name  of  Judgments,  being  what  God  brings  on  Men  as 
a  Judge,  executing  a  righteous  Sentence  forTranfgrefilon  : 
Yea,  they  are  often  called  by  theName  of  Wrath,  efpe- 
cially  Calamities  confiding  or  ifTuing  in  Death.*  And 
hence  alfo  is  that  which  Dr.  T.  would  have  us  take  fo 
much  Notice  of,  that  fometimes  in  the  Scripture,  Calamity 
and  Suffering  is  called  by.  fuch  Names  as  Sin,  Iniquity, 
being  guilty,  &c.  which  is  evidently  by  a  Metonymy  of 
the  Caufe  for  theEffect.     'Tis  not  likely,  that  in  theLan- 

guage 

*  See  Levit.  x.  6.  Num.  i.  53.  and  xviii.  5.  Jo(h.  ix.  20. 
2  Cliron.  xxiv.  18.  and  xix.  2,  10.  and  xxviii.  13.  and 
xxxii.  25.  Ezra  vii.  23.  N«hi  xiii,  i§,  Z«cll.  vii.  12? 
and  many  c\hsr  Plaw4 


Chap,  il  prove  Original  Sin.  123 

guage  in  Ufe  of  old  among  God's  People,  Calamity  or 
Suffering  would  have  been  called  even  by  the  Names  of 
Sin  and  Guilt,  if  it  had  been  fo  far  from  having  any  Con- 
nection with  Sin,  that  even  Death  itfelf,  which  is  always 
fpoken  of  as  the  mod  terrible  of  Calamities,  is  not  fo  much 
as  any  Sign  of  the  Sinf  ulnefs  of  the  Subject,  or  any  Tefli- 
mony  of  God's  Dilpleafure  for  any  Guilt  of  his,  as  Dr* 
T.  fuppofes. 

Death  is  fpoken  of  in  Scripture  as  the  chief  of  Calami- 
ties, the  moft  extreme  and  terrible  of  all  thofe  natural 
Evils,  which  come  on  Mankind  in  this  World.  Deadly 
Deflruciion  is  fpoken  of  as  the  moft  terrible  Defiruclion, 
I  Sam.  v.  1 1 .  Deadly  Sorrow,  as  the  moft  extreme  Sor- 
row. Ifai.  xvii.  1 1 .  Matt.  xxvi.  3  8.  and  deadly  Enemies, 
as  the  moft  bitter  and  terrible  Enemies.  Pfal.  xvii.  9, 
The  Extremity  of  Chrift's  Sufferings  is  reprefented  by  his 
Suffering  unto  'Death.  Philip,  ii.  8.  and  other  Places. 
Hence  the  greateft  Teftimonies  of  God's  Anger  for  the 
Sins  of  Men  in  this  World,  have  been  by  inflicting  Death : 
As  on  the  Sinners  of  the  oldWorld,  on  the  Inhabitants  of 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  on  Onan,  Pharaoh  and  the  Egyp- 
tians, JSiadab  and  Abihu,  Korah  and  his  Company,  and 
the  reft  of  theRebels  in  theWildcrnefs,  on  the  wicked  In- 
habitants of  Canaan,  onHophni  &  P hinehas , Ananias  and 
Sapphira,  the  unbelieving^-^'/,  upon  whom  Wrath  came 
to  the  uttermoft  in  the  Time  of  the  laft  Deftruclion  of 
Jerufalcm.  This  Calamity  is  often  fpoken  of  as  in  a 
peculiar  Manner  the  Fruit  of  the  Guilt  of  Sin.  Exod, 
xxviii.  43.  That  they  bear  not  Iniquity  and  die.  Levit. 
xxii.  9.  Left  they  bear  Sin  for  it  and  die.  So  Num, 
xviii.  22.  compared  with  Levit.  x.  1,  2.  The  very  Light 
of  Nature?  or  Tradition  from  antient  Revelation,  led  the 
Heathen  to  conceive  of  Death  as  in  a  peculiar  Manner  an 
Evidence  of  divine  Vengeance.  Thus  we  have  an  Ac- 
count, Acls  xxviiu  4.  That  when  the  Barbarians  Jaw 
the  venomous  Beaft  hang  ^Paul's  Hand,  they /aid  among 
tkemf elves,  No  Doubt  this  Man  is  a  Murderer,  whom 
the?  he  hath  efcaped  the  Seas,  yet  Vengeance  fufFereth 
not  :o  live,  Calamities 


s  24         JJffiiSlion  and  Death  Part  L 

Calamities  that  are  very  fmall  in  Comparifon  of  the  £- 
niverfal  temporal  DeftrucYion  of  the  whole  World  of  Man- 
kind by  Death,  are  fpoken  of  as  manifeft  Indications  of 
God's  great  Difpleafure  for  theSinfuinefs  of  the  Subject ; 
fuch  as  the  Definition  of  particular  Cities,  Countries  or 
Numbers  of  Men,  by  War  or  PefUlence.  Deut.  xxix.  24. 
•All Nations  fhall  fay ,  Wherefore  hath  theLord  done  thus 
unto  this  Land  f  what  meanzth  the  Heat  of  this  great 
.Anger  f  Here  compare  Deut.  xxxii,  30.  1  Kings  ix  8. 
and  Jer.  xxii.  8,  9.  Thefe  Calamities,  thus  fpoken  of  as 
plain  Tefti monies  of  God's  great  Anger,  confided  only  in 
haftening  on  that  Death,  which  otherwife,  by  God's  Dif- 
pofal,  would  moil  certainly  come  in  a  fhort  Time.  Nov/ 
the  taking  off  of  30  or  40  Years  from  70  or  80  (if  we 
fiiouid  fuppofe  it  to  be  fo  much,  one  with  another,  in  the 
Time  of  thefe  extraordinary  Judgments)  is  but  a  fmall 
Matter,  in  Comparifon  of  God's  firft  makingMan  mortal, 
.cutting  off  his  hoped  for  Immortality,  fubjecYing  him  to 
inevitable  Death,  which  his  Nature  fo  exceedingly  dreads ; 
and  afterwards  fhortening  his  Life  further,  by  cutting  off 
more  than  800  Years  of  it  :  So  bringing  it  to  be  lefs  than 
a  twelfth  Part  of  what  it  was  in  the  firft  Ages  of  the 
.World.  Befides  that  innumerable  Multitudes  in  the  con> 
mon  Courfe  of  Things,  without  any  extraordinary  Judg-. 
ment,  die  in  Youth,  in  Childhood  and  Infancy.  There- 
fore how  inconfiderable  aThing  is  the  additional  or  hailen'd 
Deftru&ion,  that  is  fometimes  brought  on  a  parpcularCity 
or  Country  by  War,  compared  with  that  univerfal  Havock 
which  Death  makes  of  the  whole  Race  of  Mankind,  from 
Generation  to  Generation,  withoutDi(tin£lion  of  Sex,  Age, 
Quality  or  ondition,  with  all  the  infinitely  various  dif~ 
xnal  Circumstances,  Torments  and  Agonies  which  attenJ 
the  Death  of  old  and  young,  adult  Perfons  and  little  In- 
fants ?  If  thofe  particular  and  comparatively  trivial  Cala- 
mities, extending  perhaps  not  to  more  than  the  thoufandth 
Part  of  the  Men  of  one  Generation,  are  clear  Evidences 
of  God's  great  Anger  ;  certainly  this  univerfal  vaft  De- 
ftru&ion,  by  which  the  whole  World  in   all  Generations 


Chap.  11.  prove  Original  oin.  12$ 


is  fwallowed  up,  as  by  a  Flood,  that  Nothing  on  re( 
mufl  be  a  moft  glaring  Manifeftation  of  God's  Angof  fof 
theSinfulnefs  of  Mankind*     Yea,  the  Scripture  is  etfprefs 
in  it,  that  it  is  fo.  Pfal.  xc.  3,  &c.     Thou  turneft  Man  tt 
Deftrucli$n,&  fay  ft,  Return,  yeCh'ldren  of  Men.— Thou 
earn  eft  them  away  as  withaFlood :  They  are  as  aSleep  i 
In  the  Morning  they  are  like  Grafs,  whish  groweth  up ; 
in   the  Morning  it  flourifheth  and  groweth  up  ;  in  the 
Evening  it  is  cut  down  and  withereth.     For  zve  are  con- 
fumed  by  thine  Anger,  &  by  thy  Wrath  are  we  troubled* 
Thou  haftfet  our  Iniquities  before  hee,  our  fecret  Sins  in 
the  Light  of  thy  Countenance.     For  all  our  Days  are 
pa/Ted  away  in  thy  Wrath  :  We  fpend  our  Tears  as  a 
Tale  that  is  told.     The  "Days  of  our  Tears  are  Three- 
fcore  Tears  and  ten  :  and  if  by  Reafon  of  Stren  th,  they 
be  Four/core  Tears,  yet  is  their  Strength  Labour  and 
Sorrow  ;  for  it  is  foon  cut  of,  and  we  fit  e  away.     Who 
knoweth  the  Power  of  thine  Anger  ?  According  to    thy 
Fear,  fo  is  thy  Wrath.     So  teach  us  to  number  our  Days, 
that  we  may  apply  our  Hearts  to  Wifdom.     How  plain 
and   full  is  this  Teftimony,  that  the  general  Mortality  of 
Mankind  is  an  Evidence  of  God's  Anger  for  the  Sin  of 
thofe  who  are  the  Subjeas  of  fuch  a  Difpenfation  ? 

Abimelech  fpeaks  of  it  as  a  Thing  which  he  had  Rea- 
fon to  conclude  from  God's  Nature  and  Perfe&ion,  that 
he  would  not  flay  a  righteous  Nation.  Gen.  xx.  4.  By 
righteous,  evidently  meaning  innocent.  And  if  fo,  much 
lefs  willGodflay  a  righteous  Wor Id  (confiding  offo  many 
Nations,— repeating  the  great  Slaughter  in  everyGenera- 
tiofl)  or  fubjeft  the  whole  World  of  Mankind  to  Death, 
when  they  are  confidered  as  innocent,  as  Dr.  T  fup- 
pofes.  We  have  from  Time  to  Time  in  Scripture  fuch 
Phrafes  as— worthy  of  Death,  &  guilty  of  Death  :  But 
certainly  the  righteous  Judge  of  all  the  Earth  won't  bring 
Death  on  Thoufands  of  Millions,  notonly  that  are  not 
worthy  of  Death,  but  are  worthy  of  no  Punifhment  at  all 
Dr.  T.  from  Time  to  Time  fpeaks  of  Affliction  and 

Death  as  a  great  Benefit,  a$  they  ^create  the  yajiity  °£ 
©       -    -  all 


126  j^fflitfion  and  Death  Part  I0 

all  earthly  Things,  and  tend  to  excite  fober  Reflections, 
and  to  induce  us  to  be  moderate  in  gratifying  the  Appe= 
tites  of  the  Body,  and  to  mortify  Pride  &  Ambition,  &c.# 
To  this  I  would  fay, 

i.  'Tis  not  denied  but  God   may  fee   it    needful   for 
Mankind  in  their  prefent  State,  that  they  fhould  be  mortal, 
and  fubjeft  to  outward  Afflictions,  to  reftrain  their  Luds, 
and  mortify  their  Pride  and  Ambition,  &c.     But  then  is 
it  not  an  Evidence  of  Man's  Depravity,  that  it  is  fo  ?  Is 
it  not  an  Evidence  of  riftemper  of  Mind,  yea,  drong  Dif- 
eafc,  when  Man  (lands  in  Need  of  fuch  (harp  Medicines, 
fuch  fevere  and  terrible  Means  to  reftrain  his  Lufts,  keep 
down  his  Pride,  and  make  him  willing  to  be  obedient  to 
God  ?  It  muff  be  becaufe  of  a  corrupt  and  ungrateful 
Heart,  if  the  Riches  of  ood's  Bounty,  in  bellowing  Life 
and  Profperity,  and  Things  comfortable  &  pleafant,  won't 
engage  the  Heart  to  God,  and  to  Virtue  and  child- like 
Love  and  Obedience,  but  that  he  mud:  always  have  the 
Rod  held  over  him,  and  be  often  chaftifed,  and  held  under 
the  Apprehenfions  of  Death,  to  keep  him  from  running 
wild,  in  Pride,  Contempt  &  Rebellion,  ungratefully  ufing 
the  Blcflings  dealt  forth  from  his  Hand,  in  finning  againft 
him,  and  ferving  his  Enemies.     If  Man  has  no  natural 
Difingcnuity  of  Heart,  it  muft  be  a  myfterious  Thing  in- 
deed, that  the  fweet  Bleflings  of  God's  Bounty  have  not 
as  powerful  an  Influence   to  reftrain  him  from  finning  a- 
gainfl  God,  as  terrible  AfflicYions.     If  any  thing  can  be  a 
Proof  of  a  perverfe  and  vile  Difpofition,   this  muft  be  a 
Proof  of  it,  that  Men  fhould  be  mod  apt  to  forget  and  de= 
fpifeGod,  when  his  Providence  is  mod  kind  ;  and  that  they 
fhould  need  to  have  God  chadife  them  with  great  Severi- 
ty, and  even  to  kill  them,  to  keep  them  in  Order.     If  we 
were  as  much  difpofed  to  Gratitude  to  God  for  his  Bene- 
fits, as  we  are  to  Anger  at  our  fellow-Creatures  for  Inju- 
ries, as  we  muft  be  (fo  far  as  I  can  fee)  if  we  are  not  of 
a  depraved  Heart,  the  Sweetnefs  of  the  divine  Bounty,  if 
continued  in  Life,  and  the  Height  of  every  Enjoyment 

that 

*  P,  2i,  67,  and  other  Places, 


Cha?.  iL  prove  Original  Sin.  127 

that  is  pleafant  to  innocent  human  Nature,  would  be  as 
powerful  Incentives  to  a  proper  Regard  to  God,  tending 
as  much  to  promote  Religion  and  Virtue,  as  to  have  the 
World  fili'd  with  Calamity,  and  to  have  God  (to  ufe  the 
Language  of  Hezekiah,  Ifai.  xxxviii.  13.  defcribing Death 
and  it's  Agonies)  as  a  Lion,  breaking  all  our  Bo  nes  ,and 
from  'Day  even  to  Night,  making  an  End  of  us. 

Dr.  T.  himfelf  P.  252.  fays,  "  That  our  firft  Parents 
*4  before  the  Fall  were  placed  in  a  Condition  proper  to 
"  engage  their  Gratitude,  Love  and  Obedience."  Which 
is  as  much  as  to  fay,  proper  to  engage  them  to  theExercifc 
and  Practice  of  ail  Religion.  And  if  theparadifaical  State 
was  proper  to  engage  to  all  Religion  and  Duty,  and  Men 
dill  come  into  the  World  with  Hearts  as  good  as  the  two 
firft  of  the  Species,  why  is  it  not  proper  to  engage  'em  to 
it  (till  ?  What  need  of  fo  vaftly  changing  Man's  State,  de- 
priving him  of  ail  thofe  Bleffings,  and  in  Stead  of  them 
allotting  to  him  a  World  full  of  Briars  and  Thorns,  Af- 
fliction, Calamity  and  Death,  to  engage  him  to  it  P  The 
taking  away  of  Life,  and  all  thofe  pleafant  Enjoyments 
Man  had  at  firft,  by  a  permanentConftitution,would  be  no 
ftated  Benefit  to  Mankind,  unlefs  there  were  a  ftated  Difc 
pofition  in  them  to  abufe  fuch  Bleffings.  The  taking  them 
away  is  fuppofed  to  be  a  Benefit  under  the  Notion  of 
their  being  Things  that  tend  to  lead  Men  to  Sin  :  bun 
they  would  have  no  fuch  Tendency,  at  lead  in  a  ftated 
Manner,  unlefs  there  were  in  Men  a  fix'd  Tendency  to 
make  that  unreafonable  Improvement  of  'em.  Such  a 
Temper  of  Mind  as  amounts  to  a  Difpofition  to  make  fuch 
an  Improvement  of  Bleffings  of  that  Kind,  is  often  fpoken 
of  in  Scripture,  as  moft  aftonifhingly  vile  and  perverfe, 
So  concerning  IfraePs  abufing  the  BlefTmgs  of  Canaan, 
that  Land  flowing  with  Milk  and  Honey  ;  theirlngratitude 
in  it  is  fpoken  of  by  the  Prophets,  as  enough  to  aftonifh 
all  Heaven  and  Earth,  and  as  more  than  brutim.  Stupidity 
and  Vilenefs.  Jer.  ii.  7.  I  brought  'em  into  a  plentiful 
Country,  to  eat  the  Fruit  thereof  and  the  Goodnefs  there* 

of    Put  when  ye  enter' d,  ye  defiled  my  Land,  &c»    See 

the 


1^8  Fatherly  Chaflifemmts       Pari  I. 

the  following  Verfes,  efpecially^.  12.     Be  aflon'tjhed,  Q 

ye  Heavens    at  this. So  Ifai.  i.    1, 4.      Hear, 

O  Heavens,  and  give  Ear,  O  Earth  ;  I  have  noUriJhed 
and  brought  up  Children,  and  they  have  rebelled  agdinjt 
tne0  'The  Ox  knows  his  Owner,  and  the  Afs  his  Maf* 
te^s  Cnb  ;  but  my  People  doth  not  know,  Ifrael  doth  not 
conjider.  jlh,  finful  ]S ation  !  a  People  laden  with  Ini* 
guity ,aSeed of  Evil-doers , Children  that  are  Corrupters — ■ 

Compare  T>eut.  xxxii.   6, 19.     If  it  Ihow'd  fo  great 

Depravity,  to  be  difpofed  thus  to  abufe  theBleffings  of  fo 
fruitful  and  pleafant  a  Land  as  Canaan,  furely  it  would 
be  an  Evidence  of  a  no  lefs  aftonifhing  Corruption,  to  be 
inclined  to  abufe  the  Blcffings  of  Eden,  and  the  Garden 
of  Cod  there. 

2.  If  Death  be  brought  on  Mankind  only  as  a  Benefit,, 
and  in  that  Manner  which  Dr.  T.  mentions,  viz.  to  mor- 
tify, or  moderate  their  carnal  Appetites  &  Affections,  wean 
'em  from  the  World,  excite  'em  to  fober  Reflections,  and 
lead  'em  to  theFear  andObedience  of  God,  ccc. — is  it  not 
{lrange,that  it  fhould  fall  fo  heavy  on  Infants,  who  are  not 
Capable  of  making  any  iuch  Improvement  of  it ;  fo  that 
many  more  of  Mankind  fufFer  Death  in  Infancy,  than  in 
any    ther  equalPart  of  theAge  of  Man  ?  OwrAuthor  fome* 
times  hints,  that  the  Death  of  Infants  may  be  for  the  good 
of  Parents,  and  thofe  that  are  adult,  and  may  be  for  the 
Correction  and  Punifhment  of  the  Sins  of  Parents  :  But 
hath  God  any  Need  of  fuch  Methods  to  add  to  Parents 
Afflictions  ?  Are  there  not  Ways  enough  that  he  might 
increafe  their  Trouble,  without  deflroying  the  Lives  of 
fuch  Multitudes  of  thofe  that  are  perfectly  innocent,  and 
have  in  no  refpect  any  Sin  belonging  to  'em  ;  on   whom 
Death  comes,  at  an  Age,  when  not  only  the  Subjects  arc 
not  capable  of  any  Reflection,  or  making  any  Improvement 
of  it,  either  in  the  Suffering,   or   r  xpectation  of  it  ;  but 
alfo  at  an  Age,  when  Parents  and  Friends,  who  alone  can 
lnake  a  good  Improvement,  8c  whomDr.T.  fuppofes  alone 
to  be  punifhed  by  it,  fufFer  leafl  by    being    bereaved   of 
them ;  tho5  thelnfajtf  s  themfelves  fometimes  fuffer  to  great 
Extremity  ?  J*  To 


Chap.  II  are  for  Sin.  129 

3.  To  fnppofe,  as  Dr.  T.  does,  that  Death  is  brought 
on  Mankind  in  Confequence  of  Adam's  Sin,  not  at  all  as 
a  Calamity,  but  only  as  a  Favour  and  Benefit,  is  contrary 
to  the  DocVme  of  the  Gofpel  <  which  teaches,  that  when 
Chnit.  as  the  kcond  Adam,  comes  to  remove  and  deftroy 
thatDcath,which  came  by  the  bfoAdamfc  finds  it  not  as  a 
Friend,but  anEnemy.  I  Cor.xv.22.  "For  as  in  Adam  all 
die,foin  Chrift  fhall  all  be  made  alive :"  with  f.  25.&2S. 
For  he  mufl  reign,  ft  11  be  hath  put  all  Enemies  under  his 
Feet.  The  laftElS 'EMTthat  [ball  be  d  pyedjs&ezth. 
Dr.  7".  urges,  that  the  Affii&ions  which  Mankind  arc 
fubjefted  to,  and  particularly  their  common  Mortality,  are 
reprefented  in  Scripture  as  the  Chaftifements  of  our  hea- 
venly Father  ;  and  therefore  are  defined  for  our  fpirnuai 
Good  :  and  confequently  are  not  of  the  Nature  of  Pun- 
Iftiments.     So  in  P.  68,  6  „  314,  3 15. 

Tho'  I  think  the  Thing  aflerted  far  from  being  true> 
viz.  that  the  Scripture  reprefents  the  Afflictions  of  Man- 
kind in  general,  and  particularly  their  common  Mortality, 
as  the  Chaftifements  of  an  heavenlyFather  ;  yet  'tis  need- 
iefs  to  ftand  todifpute  that  Matter  :  For  if  it  be  fo,  it  will 
be  no  Argument  that  the  Afflictions  and  Death  of  Man- 
kind are  not  Evidences  of  their  Sinfulnefs,  Thofe  would 
be  ftrange  Chaftifements  from  the  Hand  of  a  wife  and  good 
Father,which  are  wholly  forNothing  ;  especially  inch  Se- 
vere Chaftifements,  as  to  break  the  Child's  Bones  ;  when 
at  the  fame  Time  the  Father  don't  fuppofe  any  Guilt, 
Fault  or  Offence,  in  any  refpeft,  belonging  to  the  Child  ; 
but  it  is  chaftifed  in  this  terrible  Manner,  only  for  hie 
that  it  will  be  faulty  hereafter.  I  fay,  thefe  would  be  a 
ftrange  Sort  of  Chaftifements  ;  yea,  tho'  he  fhould  be  .  ble 
to  make  it  up  to  the  Child  afterwards.  Dr.  5  .  tells  or 
Representations  made  by  the  whole  Current  of  Scripture  :  - 
I  am  certain,  it  is  not  agreable  to  the  Currrent  of  '  crio- 
ture,  to  reprefent  divine  fatherly  Chaftifements  after  this 
Manner.  ?Tis  true,  that  the  Scripture  fuppofes  fuch 
Chaftenings  to  be  the  Fruit  of  God's  Goodnefs  ;  yet  at 
the  fame  Time  it  evermore  repreients  them  as  being  for 

K  the 


J  30  Fatherly  Chajlifemenis        Parti. 

die  Sin  of  the  Subject,  and  as  Evidences  of  the  divine 
Difpleafure  for  it's  Sinfulnefs.  Thus  the  Apoftle  in 
I  Cor.  xi.  30,  31,  32.  fpeaks  of  God's. chaftening  his  Peo* 
pie  by  mortal  Sicknefs,  for  their  Good,  that  they  might 
not  be  condemned  with  the  TVorld,  and  yet  (ignifies  that 
it  was/*r  their  Sin  ;  FOR  THIS  CAUSE  many  are 
weak  and  ftckly  among  you,  and  many  fie ep  :  that  is,  for 
the  Profanenefs  and  finfuIDi  (order  before- mentioned.  So 
Elihu,  Job  xxxiii.  16,  &x.  fpeaks  of  the  fame  Chaftening 
by  Sicknefs,  as  for  Men's  Good  ;  to  withdraw  Man  from 
his  finful  Purpofe,  and  to  hide  Pride  from  Man,  and 
keep  back  his  Soul  from  the  Pit  ;  that  therefore  God 
chaftens  Man  with  Pain  on  his  Bed,  and  the  Multitude 
of  his  Bones  with  flrong  Pain.  But  thefe  Chaftenings 
are  for  his  Sins,  as  appears  by  what  follows,  >■  28.  Where 
'tis  obferved,  that  when  God  by  this  Means  has  brought 
Men  to  repent,  and  humbly  confefs  their  Sins,  he  delivers 
them.  Again,  the  fame  Elihu,  freaking  of  the  unfailing 
Love  of  God  to  the  Righteous,  even  when  he  chaftens 
them,  and  they  are  bound  in  Fetters,  and  holden  in  Cords 
of  Affliction,  Chap,  xxxvi.  7,  &c  ;  yet  fpeaks  of  thefe 
Chaftenings  as  being  for  their  Sins,/  9.  ihen  he  Jheweth 
them  their  Work,  and  their  Tranfgr efforts,  that  they  have 
exceeded.  So'David,  Pfal.  xxx.  fpeaks  of  God's  Chaften- 
ing by  fore  Afflictions,  as  being  for  his  Good,  and  ifiuing 
joyfully  ;  and  yet  being  the  Fruit  of  God's  A.nger  for  his 
Sin,  i  5.  God's  ANGER  endureth  but  for  a  'Moment, 
Sec. — Compare  Pfal  cxix.  67,  71.  7^.  God's  fatherly 
Chaftifements  are  fpoken  of  as  being  for  Sin,  2  Sam,  vii. 
14,  15.  Twill  be  his  Father,  and  he  fhall  be  my  Son. 
If  he  commit  Iniquity,  I  will  chaflen  him  zvith  the  Rod  of 
\     n,  and  zvith  theStripes  oftheChildren  of  Men  ;   but 

lercy  fhall  not  depart  away  from  him.    So  theProphet 
Jeremiah  fpeaks  of  the  great  Affliction  thatGod'sPeople  of 

young  Generation  fuffered  in  the  Time  of  the  Capti- 
ity,  as  being  for  their  Good.  Lam.  iii.  25,  &c.     But  yet 

e  Chaftifements  are  fpoken  of  as  being  for  their  Sin  5 
fee efpecially  <i  39,  40.     So  Chrift  fays.  Rev.  ii.  jo.   As 


Chap,  n  are  for  Sin.  131 

many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke  and  chaflen.  But  the  Words 
following  fhew,  that  thefe  Chaftenings  from  Love  are  for 
Sin  that  fhould  be  repented  of :  Be  zealom  therefore,  and 
repent.  And  tho'  Chrift  tells  us,  they  are  blefted  that 
are  perfecuted  for  PJghteoufnefs  Sake,  and  have  Reafon 
to  rejoyce  and  be  exceeding  glad  ;  yet  even  the  Perfecu- 
tions  of  God's  People,  as  ordered  in  divine  Providence, 
are  fpoken  of  as  divine  Chaftenings  for  Sin,  like  the  juft 
Corre&ions  of  a  Father,when  the  Children  deferve  them, 
Heb.  xii.  The  Apoftle  there  fpeaking  to  the  Chriftians, 
concerning  the  Perfecutions  which  they  fufFered,  oils  their 
Sufferings  by  theName  of  divine  Rebukes  ;  which  implies 
teftifying  again/I  a  Fault  :  And  that  they  mayn't  be  dif- 
coura^ed,  puts  them  in  Mind,  that  whom  the  Lord  loves, 
be  chaflens,  and  fc  our  get  b  every  Son  that  he  receiveth* 
?Tis  alfo  very  plain,that  the  Perfecutions  of  God's  People, 
as  they  are  from  the  difpofmg  Hand  of  God,  are  Chatlife- 
ments  for  Sin,from  i  Pet.  iv,  17,1 8.  compared  with  Prov. 
xi.  31.    See  alfo  Pfal.  Ixix.  4, 9. 

If  divine  Chaftifements  in  general  are  certain  Evidences 
that  the  Subjects  are  not  wholly  without  Sin,  fome  Way 
belonging  to  them,  then  in  a  peculiar  Manner  is  Death  fo  5 
For  thefe  Reafon s  : 

(1.)  Becaufe  flaying,  or  delivering  to  Death,  is  often 
fpoken  of  as  in  general  a  more  awful  Thing  than  the 
Chaftifements  that  are  endured  in  this  Life.  So,Pfal.  cxviii. 
17,  18.  IJhall  not  die,  but  live,  and  declare  the  IVorks 
cf  'the  Lord.  The  Lord  hath  chaflen' d  me  fore  ;  but  he 
hath  not  given  me  over  unto  T>eath.  So  the  Pfalmift  a 
Pfal.  lxxxviii.  15.  fetting  forth  the  Extremity  of  his  Af- 
fliction, reprefents  it  by  this,  that  it  was  next  to  Death.  / 
am  affliaed,&  ready  to  die— while  IJufer  tbyTerrenJ 
am  diflraded.  So  'David,  1  Sam.  xx.  3.  So  God's  Ten- 
dernefs  towards  Perfons  under  Chaff  ifement,  is  from  Time 
to  Time  fet  forth  by  that,  that  he  did  not  proceed  fo  far 
as  to  make  an  End  of  'em  by  Death  ;  as  in  Pfal.  lxxviii. 
38,  39.  and  Pfal.ciii.  9.  with  f  14,  15.  Pfal.  xxx.  2,29. 
lob  xxxjh,  22,  23,  24.    So  we  have  God's  People  ofteri 

Ji  2  praying 


132     The  Death  of  Infants  proves    Part  I. 

praying,  when  under  great  AfHicYion,  that  God  would  not 
proceed  to  this,as  being  the  greater!  Extremity.  Pfal.xiii.3. 
Confider,  and  hear  me,  O  Lord  my  God]  lighten  mine 
Eyes,  left  IJJeep  the  Bleep  of  Death.  So  Job  x.  9.  Pfah 
vi.  I, —5.  &  lxxxviii.  o,  10,11'.  cxllii.  7. 

Efpecially  may  Death  be  look'd  upon  as  the  mofl  ex* 
treme  of  all  temporal  Sufferings,  when  attended  with  fuck 
dreadful  Circumftances,  and  extreme  Pains,  as  thofe  with 
which  Providence  fometimes  brings  it  on  Infants  ;  as  on 
the  Children  that  were  offered  up  to  Moloch,  and  fome 
other  Idols,  who  were  tormented  to  Death  in  burning 
Brafs.  Dr.  T.  fays,  P.  359,  &  404.  »  The  Lord  of  all 
"  Being  can  never  want  Time  and  Place  and  Power  to 
"  compenfate  abundantly  any  Sufferings  Infants  now  tui- 
"  dergo  in  Subferviency  to  his  good  Providence."  But 
there  are  no  Bounds  to  fuch  a  Licenfe,  in  evading  Eviden- 
ces from  Fa£t.  It  might  as  well  be  raid,  that  there  is  not 
and  cannot  be  any  fuch  thing  as  Evidence,  from  Events, 
of  God's  Difpleafure  ;  which  is  moil  contrary  to  the  whole 
Current  of  Scripture,  as  may  appear  in  Part  from  Things 
which  have  been  obferved.  This  Gentleman  might  as 
well  go  further  ft  ill,  and  fay,  that  God  may  cafl  guiltlefs 
Perfons  into  Hell-Fire,  to  remain  there  in  the  mofl  unutter- 
ableTormentsforAges  of  Ages  (which  bear  no  greaterPro- 
portion  to  Eternity  than  a  Quarter  of  an  Hour)  and  if 
he  does  fo,  it  is  no  Evidence  of  God's  Difpleafure  ;  be- 
caufe  he  can  never  want  Time,  Place  and  Power,  abun- 
dantly to  compenfate  their  Sufferings  afterwards.  If  it  be 
fo,  it  is  not  to  the  Purpofe,  as  long  as  the  Scripture  does  Co 
abundantly  teach  us  to  look  on  great  Calamities  &  Suffer- 
ings which  God  brings  on  Men,  efpecially  Death,  as  Marks 
of  his  Difpleafure  for  Sin,  and  for  Sin  belonging  to  them 
that  fuffer. 

(2.)  Another  Thing,  which  may  well  lead  us  to  fappofe 
Death,  in  a  peculiar  Manner,  above  other  temporal 
Sufferings,  intended  as  a  Teflimony  of  God's  Difplea- 
fure for  Sin,  is,  that  Death  is  a  Thing  attended  with  that 
awful  Appearance,  that  gloomy  and  terrible  Afpeft,  mac 

natural^ 

/     ' 


Chap.il  Original  Sin.  XJS 

naturally  fuggefts  to  cur  Minds  God's  awful  Difpleafure* 

Which  is  a  Thing  that  Dr.  T.  himfelf  takes  particular 
Notice  of,  P.  69/Speaking  of  Death,  "  Herein,  fays  he, 
«  have  we  before  our  Eyes  a  finking  Demonftration,  that 
"  Sin  is  infinitely  hateful  to  God,  and  the  Corruption  and 

"  Ruin  of  our  Nature. Nothing  is  more  proper  than 

«  fuch  a  Sight  to  give  us  the  utmoft  Abhorrence  of  all 
"   Iniquity,  &c."     Now  if  Death  be  no  Teftimony  of 
God's  Difpleafurc  for  Sin,  no  Evidence  that  the  Subject 
is  looked  upou,by  him  who  infli&s  it,  as  any  other  than  per- 
feftly  innocent,   free  from  all  Manner  of  Imputation  of 
Guilt,  and  treated  only  as  an  Obje&  of  Favour,  is  it  not 
flrange,that  God  fliould  annex  to  it  fuch  affixing  Appear- 
ances of  his  Hatred  and  Anger  for  Sin,  more  than  to  othet 
Chaftifements  ?  which  yet  the  Scripture  teaches  us  are  al- 
ways for  Sin.     Thcfe  gloomy  &  ftrikingManifeftatipns  of 
God's  Hatred  of  Sin   attending  Death,  are  equivalent   to 
awful  Frowns  of  God  attending  the  Stroke  of  his  Hand. 
If  we  mould  fee  a  wife  and  juft  Father  chaflifing  his  Child, 
mixing  terrible  Frowns  with  fevere  Strokes,we  fliould  juftly 
a>gue,that  the  Father  confidered  his  Child  as  having  fome- 
tning  in  him  difpleafing  to  him,  and  that  he  did  not  thus 
treat  his  Child  only  under  a  Notion  of  mortifying  him,  and 
preventing  his  being  faulty  hereafter,  and  making  \i  up  to 
him  afterwards,  when  he  had  been  perfectly  innocent,  and 
without  Fault,  either  of  A&ion  or  Difpofition  hitherto. 

We  may  well  argue  from  thefe  Things,that  Infants  are 
not  looked  upon  by  God  as  Sinlefs,  but  that  they  are  by 
Nature  Children  of  Wrath,  feeing  this  terrible  Evil  comes 
fo  heavily  on  Mankind  in  Infancy.  But  befides  thefe 
Things,  which  are  obfervable  concerning  the  Mortality  of 
Infants  in  general,  there  are  fome  particular  Cafes  of  the 
Death  of  Infants,  which  the  Scripture  fets  before  us,  that 
arc  attended  with  Circumftances,  in  a  peculiar  Manner, 
giving  Evidences  of  the  Sinfulnefs  of  fuch,  and  their- juft 
Expofednefs  to  divine  Wrath.     As  particularly, 

The  deflroying  the  Infants  in  Sodom,  and  the  neigh- 
bouring Cities ;  which  Cities,  deitroyed  in  fo  extraordinary 

JC  3  "         miraculous 


134      Of  the  Infants  of  SoAom.     Part  L 

miraculous  and  awful  a  Manner,  are  fet  forth  as  a  ffgnal  Ex- 
ample of  God's  dreadful  Vengeance  for  Sin  to  the  World 
in  all  Generations  ;  agreable  to  that  of  the  Knoft\e,Jude  $  7. 
God  did  not  reprove,  but  manifeftly  countenanced  *Abra- 
ham, when  he  faid,withRefpecr.  to  theDeftrucYion  of  Sodom 
(Gemxviii. 2  3,25.)^//;  thou  deftroy  tbeRightecus  withthe 
Wicked  ? —That  be  far  from  thee, to  do  after  this  Manner, 
to  flay  theRighteous  with  iheJVicked,&that  theRighteous 
fhould  be  as  the  Wicked,  that  be  far  from  thee,  Shall 
not  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth  do  right  f  Abraham\ 
"Words  imply  thatGod  would  not  deftroy  the  innocent  with 
five  guilty.  We  may  well  underftand  innocent  as  included 
in  theWord  righteous,  according  to  the  Language  ufual  in 
Scripture,  in  fpeaking  of  fuch  Cafes  of  Judgment  &  Pun- 
ifhment ;  as  is  plain  in  Gen.  xx.  4.  Exod.  xxiii.  7.  Deut. 
xxv.  1.  2  Sam.  iv.  11.  2  Chron.  vi.  23.  and  Prov.  xviih 
5.  Eliphaz  fays,  Job  iv.  7.  Who  ever  perifned,  being 
innocent  ?  or  where  were  the  righteous  cut  offf  We  fee 
what  great  Care  God  took  that  Lot  fhould  not  be  involv'd 
in  that  Deftruction.  He  was  miraculously  refcued  by 
Angels,  fent  on  Purpofe  ;  who  laid  hold  on  him,  and  bro't 
him,  and  fet  him  without  the  Gates  of  the  City  ;  and  told 
him  that  they  could  do  Nothing  till  he  was  out  of  the 
Way.  Gen.  xix.  22.  And  not  only,  was  he  thus  miracu- 
lously delivered,  but  his  two  wicked  Daughters  for  his 
Sake.  The  whole  Affair,  botn  the  Deft  ruction,  and  the 
Refcue  of  them  that  efcaped,  was  miraculous  :  And  God 
could  as  eafily  have  delivered  the  Infants  which  were  in 
ihofe  Cities.  And  if  they  had  been  without  Sir,  their 
perfect  Innocency,  one  fhould  think,  would  have  pleaded 
much  more  ftrongly  for  them,  than  thofe  lewd  Women's 
Relation  to  Let  pleaded  for  them.  When  in  fuch  a  Cafe, 
we  muft  fuppofe  thefe  Infants  much  further  from  deferv- 
ing  to  be  involved  in  thatDeftrucYion;than  evcnLot  himfelf. 
JTo  fay  here,  that  God  could  make  it  up  to  thofe  Infants 
in  another  World,  muft  be  an  infufficient  R.eply.  For  fo 
be  could  as  eafily  have  made  it  up  to  Lot,  or  to  ten  or  fifty 
right  ecus,  if  they  had  been  deftroyed  in  the  fame  Fire  ; 

Neverthelcfs 


Chap.  ii.         anj  0j  tle  old  World.        135 

Neverthelefs  it  is  plainly  fignified,  that  this  would  not  have 
been  agreable  to  the  wife  and  holy  Proceedings  of  the 
Judge  of  all  the  Earth. 

Since  God  declared,   that  if  there  had  been  found  but 
ten  righteous  in  Sodom,  he  would  have  fpared   the  whole 
City  for  their  Sake,  may  we  not  well  fuppofe,  if  Infants 
are  perfectly  innocent,  that  he  would  have  fpared  the  old 
World,  in  which  there  were,  without  Doubt,  many  Hun~ 
dred  Thoufand  Infants,  and  in  general,  one  in  every  Fa- 
mily, whofe  perfect  Innocence  pleaded  for  it's  Preferva- 
tion  ?  Efpecially  when  fuch  vait  Care  was  taken  to  lave 
Noah  and  his  Family  (fome  of  whom,  one  at  leaft,   feem 
to  have  been  none  o£  the  belt)  that  they  might  not  be  in- 
volved in  that  DeftrucYion.     If  the  perfect  Sinlefnefs  of 
Infants  had  been  a  Notion  entertain'd  among  the  People 
of  God   of  old,   in  the  Ages  next   following  the  Flood, 
handed  down  from  Noah  and  his  Children,  who  well  knew 
that  vaft  Multitudes  of  Infants  perifhed  in  the  Flood,  is  k 
likely  that  EUphaz,  who  lived  within  a  few  Generations 
of  Shem  and  Noah,  would  have  faid  to  Job,  as  he  does  in 
that  foremention'd  Job  iv.  7,     Who  ever  perifhed,  being 
Innocent  f  &  when  were  theRighteous  cut  off?   Efpecially 
fince  in  the  fame  Difcourfe  (Chap.  v.  1.)  he  appeals  to  the 
Tradition  of  the  Antients  for  a  Confirmation  of  this  very 

Point  ;  as  he  alfo  does  in  Chap.  xv.  7, 10.  and  xxii. 

1 5,  1 6.  In  which  lad  Place,  he  mentions  that  very  Thing, 
theDeilruclion  of  theWicked  by  the  Flood,  as  an  Inftance 
of  that  perilling  of  the  Wicked,  which  he  fuppofes  to  be 
peculiar  to  them,  for  Job's  Conviction  ;  ^  in  which  the 
Wicked  zuere  cut  down  out  of  Time,  their  Foundation 
being  overflown  with  aFlood.  Where  'tis  alfo  obfervable, 
that  he  f  peaks  of  fuch  an  Untimelinefs  of  Death  as  they 
fufiered  by  the  Flood,  as  one  Evidence  of  Guilt  ;  as  he 
alfo  does,  Chap.  xv.  3 2,  3  3.  It  (hall  be  accompli jhed  be- 
fore  his  Time  ;  and  his  Branch  frail  not' be  green.  But 
thofe  that  were  deftroyed  by  the  Flood  in  Infancy,  above 
all  the  reft  were  cut  down  out  of  Time  ;  when  in  Stead 
ef  living  above  ooo  Years,  according  to  the  common  Pe- 
lt 4  riod 


136  Ofthelnfantsof  Canaan, Egypt,  Parti. 

riod  of  Man's  Life,  many  were  cut  down  before  they  were 
one  Year  old. 

And  when  God  executed  Vengeance  on  the  antient  In- 
habitants of  Canaan,  not  only  did  he  not  fpa-re  their  Cities 
and  Families  for  the  fake  of  the  Infants  that  were  therein, 
nor  take  any  Care  that  they  fliould  not  be  involved  in  the 
Deftru.5V.on  ;  but  often  with  particular  Care  repeated  his 
exrrefsCommonds,  that  theirlnfants  fliould  not  be  fpared, 
but  fliould  be  utterly  deliroyed,  without  any  Pity  ;  while 
Rahab  the  Harlot  (who  had  been  far  from  Innocence,  tho* 
21  e  exprciTed  her  Faith  in  entertaining,  and  fafely  difmiffing 
the  Spies)  was  preferved,  and  all  her  Friends  for  her  fake. 
And  when  God  executed  his  Wrath  on  the  Egyptians  by 
flaying  their  firfr.  born,  tho'  the  Children  of  Ifrael,  who 
were  moft  of  'em  wicked  Men,  as  was  before  fhewn,  were 
wonderfully  fpared  by  the  deflroying  Angel,  yet  fuch 
firft  born  of  the  Egyptians  as  were  Infants,  were  not 
fparell.  They  not  only  were  not  refcued  by  the  A.ngel, 
and  no  Miracle  wrought  to  fave  'em  (as  was  obferved  in 
the  Cafe  of  thelnfants  of  Sodwi)  but  theAngel  deflroy'd 
'em  by  his  own  immediate  Hand,  and  a  Miracle  was  wro't 
to  kill  them. 

Here  not  to  flay  to  be  particular  concerning  the  Com- 
mand by  Mofes,  concerning  the  Deflru&ion  of  the  Infants 
of  the  Mi dianites,  Num.  xxxi.  17.  And  that  given  to 
jS:?<7'7  to  dcflroy  all  the  Infants  of  the  Amalekites,  1  Sam. 
xv.  3.  and  what  is  faid  concerning  Edom,  Pfal.  exxxvii.  4. 
Happf  Jhall  he  be  that  Jh  all  take  thy  little  ones,  and  daflj 
them  again/I  the  Stones.  —  I  proceed  to  take  Notice  of 
fomething  remarkable  concerning  the  Deflruclion  of  ye- 
rufalem,  reprefented  in  Rzek.  ix.  when  Command  was 
v}\-rn  to  them  that  had  Charge  over  the  City,  to  deftroy 
tie  Inhabitants,  f.  1 ,-  ■  8.  And  this  Reafon  is  given 
for  it,  that  (h  >ir  Iniquity  required  it,  and  it  was  ajuft  Re- 
corft pence  of  their  Sin.  «'-.  9,  10.  And  God  at  the  fame 
Spine  was  moft  particular  and  exact  in  his  Care  that  fuch 
ft  uld  b  /  no  Means  He  involved  in  the  Slaughter,  as  had 
proved  by  their  Behaviour,  that  they  were  not  Partakers 

in 


Chap,  it,  anc[  Jerufalem.  137 

n  the  Abominations  of  the  City.  Command  was  given  to 
the  Angel,  to  go  through  the  City,  and  fet  a  Mark  upon 
their  Foreheads,  and  the  destroying  Angel  had  a  drift 
Charge  not  to  come  near  any  Man  on  whom  was  the 
Mark  ;  yet  the  Infants  were  not  marked,  nor  a  Word  faid 
of  fparing  them  :  On  the  contrary,  Infants  were  exprefly 
mentioned  as  thofe  that  fhould  be  utterly  deflroyed,  with- 
out Pity,  f,  5,  6.  Go  through  the  City,  and  finite  :  let 
not  yourEyefpare, neither  have  yePity.  Slay  utterly  old 
and  young,  both  Maids  and  little  Children  :  But  come 
not  near  any  Man  upon  whom  is  the  Mark, 

And  if  any  fliould  fufpecl  that  fuch  Inftances  as  thefe 
were  peculiar  to  a  more  fevere  Difpenfation,  under  the  old 
Teilament,  let  us  confider  a  remarkable  Inftance  in  the 
Days  of  the  glorious  Gofpel  of  the  Grace  of  God  ;  even 
the  laft  Deftru&ion  of  Jerufalem  ;  which  was  far  more 
terrible,  and  with  greater  Teftimonies  of  God's  Wrath  and 
Indignation,  than  the  DeftrucVion  of  Sodom,  or  of  Jerufa- 
lem in  Nebu:hadnezzar\  Time,  or  any  thing  that  ever 
had  happened  to  any  City  or  People,  from  the  Beginning 
of  theWorld  to  thatTime  :  agreable  toMatth.  xxiv.  21. and 
Luke  xxi.  22,  23.  But  at  that  Time  particular  Care  was 
taken  to  diftinguifh  and  deliver  God's  People,  as  was  fore- 
told,Dan.  xii.  1.  And  we  have  in  the  New-Teflament  a 
particular  Account  of  the  Care  Chrift  took  for  the  Pre- 
servation of  his  Followers  :  He  gave  them  a  Sign, 'by 
which  they  might  know  when  the  Defolation  of  the  City 
was  nigh,  that  they  that  were  in  Jerufalem  might  flee  to 
the  Mountains,  and  efcape.  And  as  Hiftory  gives. Ac- 
count, the  Chridians  followed  the  Directions  given,  and 
efcaped  to  a  Place  in  the  Mountains  called  Pella,  and 
were  preferved.  Yet  no  Care  was  taken  to  preferve  the 
Infants  of  the  City,  in  general ;  but  according  to  the  Pre- 
dictions of  that  Event,  they  were  involved  with  others  in 
that  great  Deftru&ion  :  So  heavily  did  the  Calamity  fall 
upon  them,  that  thofe  Words  were  verified,  Luke  xxiii, 
29.  Behold  the  "Days  are  coming,  in  which  they  flmll 
fay,  JBlejjTed  are  the  barren,  and  the  Warnbs  that  never 

bare* 


1 3  °      fy  ^e  Infants  °f  Jerufalem    Part  I. 

bare,  and  the  Paps  vjhich  never  gave  Suck.  And  that 
Prophecy  in  Deut.  xxxii.  21,- 25.  which  has  undoubt- 
edly fpecial  Refpeft  to  this  very  Time,  and  is  Co  applied 
by  the  bed  Commentators.     /  will  provoke  than  to  jea- 

loufy,  with  thofe  thdt  are  not  a  People  : For  a  Fire 

is  kindled  in  mine  .Anger — and  it  Jhall  burn  to  the  lowejl 
Hell.  I  will  heap  Mi/chiefs  upon  them  :  I  vAll  fpend 
mine  ^Arrozus  upon  them.  They  Jhall  be  burnt  with 
Hunger,  and  devoured  with  burning  Heat,  and  bitter 

fDeftru&io?i. The  Szvord  zvithout,  &  Terror  within, 

Jhall  deftroy  both  the  young  Man,  and  the  Virgin,  7  HE 
SUCKLING  alfo,  with  the  Man  of  grey  Hairs.  And 
it  appears  by  the  Hiftory  of  that  Deftruclion,  that  at  that 
Time  was  a  remarkable  Fulfilment  of  that  in  Deut.  xxviii. 

53 > 57*  concerning  Parents  eating  their  Children 

in  the  Siege, — and  the  tender  &  delicate  Woman  eating 
her  New-bom  Child.  And  here  it  mud  be  remembered, 
that  thefe  very  DeftrucYions  of  that  City  and  Land  are 
fpoken  of  in  thofe  Places  forementioned,  as  clear  Eviden- 
ces of  God's  Wrath,  to  ail  Nations,  which  fhall  behold 
them.  And  if  fo,  they  were  Evidences  of  God's  Wrath 
towards  Infants  ;  who,  equally  with  the  reft,  were  the 
Subjects  of  the  DeftrucYion.  If  a  particular  Kind  or  Rank 
of  Perfons,  which  made  a  very  confiderable  Part  of  the 
Inhabitants,  were  from  Time  to  Time  Partakers  of  the 
Overthrow,  without  any  DiftincYion  made  in  divine  Pro- 
vidence, and  yet  this  was  no  Evidence  at  all  of  God's  Dif- 
pleafure  with  any  of 'em ;  then  a  being  the  Subjects  of  fuch 
a  Calamity  could  not  be  an  Evidence  of  God's  Wrath  a- 
gainft  any  of  the  Inhabitants,  to  the  Reafon  of  all Nations, 
or  any  Nation,  or  fo  much  as  one  Perfon, 


PART 


(     »39    ) 


PART     II. 

Containing  Obfcrvations  on  particular  Parts 
of  the  holy  Scripture,  which  prove  the 
Doctrine  of  Original  Sin. 


CHAP.     I. 

Obfervations  relating  to  Things  contained  in  the  three 

firft  Chapters  of  Genefis,  rWiib  Reference  to  the 

Doctrine  of  Original  Sin. 

Sect.     I. 
Concerning  Original  Righteonfnefs  ;  and  whether 

our  firfi  "Parents  ivere  created  with  Rigbteoufnefs 

cr  moral  Rectitude  of  Heart  ? 

THE  Doctrine  of  Original  Rigbteoufnefs,  or  the 
Creadon  of  our  firft  Parents  with  holy  Principles 
andDifpofitions,  has  a  clofe  Connection,  in  feveral  Refpects, 
with  the  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin.  Dr.T. — wasfenfible 
of  this  ;  and  accordingly  he  ftrenuoufly  oppofes  this  Doct- 
rine, in  his  Book  againft  Original  Sin.  And  therefore  it* 
handling  the  Subject,  I  would  in  the  firft  Place  remove  this 
Author's  main  Objection  againft  this  Doctrine ;  and  then 
fhew  how  the  Doctrine  may  be^infer'd  from  the  Account 
which  Mofes  gives  us,  in  the  three  firfl  Chapters  of 
Genefis. 

Dr.  T'—rh  grand  Objection  againft  this  Doctrine,  which 
he  abundantly  infills  en,  is  this  :  That  it  is  utterly  incon- 
fiftent  with  the  Nature  of  Virtue,  that  it  ihould  be  con- 
created  with  any  Perfon  ;  becaufe,  if  fo,  it  muft  be  by  an 
Act  of  God's  abfolute  Power,  without  our  Knowledge  or 
Concurrence  ;  and  that  moral  Virtue,  in  it's  very  Nature 
kipiieth  the    Choice  and  Confent  of  the  moral  Agent, 

without 


I4-Q    Of  Original  Righteoufncfs.     Part  II. 

without  which  it  cannot  be  Virtue  and  Holinefs  :  that  a 
necefTary  Holinefs,  is  no  Holinefs.  So  P.  179,  180. 
"Where  he  obferves,  "  That  Adam  mud  exift,  he  muft  be 
**  created,  yea  he  muft  exercife  Thought  and  Reflexion, 
•*  before  he  was  righteous."  See  alfo  P.  2^0,  251.  In 
P.  437.  he  fays,  "  To  fay,  that  God  not  only  endowed 
4<  Iddam  with  a  Capacity  of  being  righteous,  but  more- 
"  over  that  Righteoufr.efs  and  true  Holinefs  were  created 
**  with  him,  or  wrought  into  his  Nature,  at  the  fame  Time 
44  he  was  made,  is  to  affirm  a  Contradiction,  or  what  is  in- 
'*  confiftent  with  the  veryNature  of  Righteoufncfs."  And 
in  like  Manner  Dr.  T'urnbu/i  in  many  Places  infills 
upon  it,  that  it  is  necefTary  to  the  very  Being  of  Virtue, 
that  it  be  owing  to  our  own  Choice,  and  diligent  Culture. 

With  refpect  to  this,  I  would  obferve,  that  it  confifts  in 
a  Notion  of  Virtue  quite  inconfiflent  with  the  Nature  of 
Things,  and  the  common  Notions  of  Mankind  ;  and  alio 
inconfiflent  with.Dr.T'— r's  ownNotions  of  Virtue.  There- 
fore, if  it  be  truly  fo,  that  to  affirm  that  to  be  Virtue  or 
Holinefs  which  is  not  the  Fruit  of  preceeding  Thought, 
Reflection  and  Choice,  is  to  affirm  a  Contradiction,  I  mail 
fliew  plainly,  that  for  him  to  affirm  otherwife,  is  a  Conr 
irad:ction  to  himfelf. 

In  the  firil  Place,  I  think  it  a  Contradiction  to  the  Na- 
ture of  Things,  as  judged  of  by  the  common  Senfe  of 
Mankind.  It  is  agreable  to  the  Senfe  of  the  Minds  of 
Men  in  all  Nations  and  Ages,  not  only  that  the  Fruit  or 
Effect  of  a  good  Choice  is  virtuous,  but  the  good  Choice 
it  (elf, from  whence  that  Effect  proceeds  ;  yea,  and  not  only 
fo,  but  alfo  the  antecedent  good  Difpofjtion,  Temper  or 
Affection  of  Mind,  from  whence  proceeds  that  goodChoice, 
is  virtuous.  This  is  the  general  Notion,  not  that  Prin- 
ciples derive  their  Goodnefs  from  Actions,but  that  Actions 
derive  their  Goodnefs  from  the  Principles  whence  they 
proceed  ;  and  fo  that  the  Act  of  chufing  that  which 
is  good,isno  further  virtuous  than  it  proceeds  from  a  good 
Principles  virtuousDifpofition  of  Mind.  Which  fuppofes, 
that  a  virtuousDifpofition  of  Mind  may  be  before  a  virtu- 
ous 


Chap.  i.  i     Qj  Original  Righteoufnes.      141 

ous  Act  of  Choice  ;  and  that  therefore  it  is  not  neceflary 
that  there  fliould  firft  be  Thought,  Reflection  and  Choice, 
before  there  can  be  any  virtuous  Difpofition.  If  the 
Choice  be  firft,  before  the  Exigence  of  a  good  Difpofition 
of  Heart,  what  fignifies  that  Choice  ?  There  can,  accord- 
ing to  our  natural  Notions,  be  no  Virtue  in  a  Choice  which 
proceeds  from  no  virtuous  Principle,  but  from  meer  Self- 
love,  Ambition,or  fome  animal  Appetite.  And  therefore 
a  virtuous  Temper  of  Mind  may  be  before  a  good  Act  of 
Choice,  as  a  Tree  may  be  before  the  Fruit,  and  the  Foun- 
tain before  the  Stream  which  proceeds  from  it. 

The  following  Things  in  Mr.  Hutchefonh  Enquiry 
concerning  moral  Good  and  Evil,  are  evidently  agreable 
to  the  Nature  of  Things,  and  the  Voice  of  human  Senfe 
and  Reafon.  Sect.  II.  P.  132,  133.  "  Every  Action 
**  which  we  apprehend  as  either  morally  good  or  evil,  is 
«  always  fuppofed  to  FLOW  FROM  fomeAffections  to- 
'<  wards  fenfitive  Natures.  And  whatever  we  callVirtue 
<c  or  Vice,  is  either  fome  fuch  Affection,  or  fome  Action 

«  CONSEQUENT  UPON  IT. AlltheAaions 

"  counted  religious  in  anyCountry,  are  fuppofed  by  thofe 
«  who  count  them  fo,  to  FLOW  FROM  fome  Affe&ions 
"  towards  the  Deity  :  and  whatever  we  call  focial  Virtue, 
"  we  ftill  fuppofe  to  FLOW  FROM  Affections  towards 

«   our  Fellow-Creatures. Prudence,  if  it  is  only  em- 

"  ployed  in  promoting  private  Intereft,  is  never  imagined 
"  to  be  a  Virtue."  In  thefeThingsD r. Turnbull  exprefly 
agrees  with  Mr.  Hut  chef  on,  who  is  his  admired  Author* 

If  a  virtuous  Difpofition  or  Affection  is  before  Acts  that 
proceed  from  it,  then  they  are  before  thofe  virtuous  Acts 
of  Choice  which  proceed  from  it.  And  therefore  there  is 
no  NecelTity  that  all  virtuous  Difpofitions  or  Affections 
fhould  be  the  Effect  of  Choice  :  and  fo  no  fuch  fuppofed 
Neceffity  can  be  a  good  Objection  againft  fuch  a  Difpofi- 
tion*s  being  natural,  or  from  a  Kind  of  Inltinct,  implanted 
in  the  Mind  in  it's   Creation,     Agreable  to  what  Mr. 

Hutchefon 

*  Mor.  PbiL  P.  iw,-- J15«  P-  *4*«  '*  alibi  fajfim, 


it 


<* 


142  OfDr.T-^r& grand 'Argument  Part  II. 

Hutehefan  fays  (Ihid.ScCz.  III.  P.  106,  197.)  "  I  know 
11  not,  fays  he,  for  what  P.eafon  fomc  will  not  allow  that 
"  to  be  Virtue,  which  flows  from  Inltinct  or  Paflions.  But 
how  do  they  help  themfelves  ?  They  fay, Virtue  arifes 
from  Reafon.  What  is  Reafon,  but  the  Sagacity  we 
have  in  profecuting  any  End  ?  The  ultimate  End  pro- 
pofed  by  common  Moralifts,  is  the  Happinefs  of  the 
Agent  himfelf.  And  this  certainly  he  is  determined  to 
purfue  from  Inftinct.  Now  may  not  another  Inftinct 
"  towards  the  Publick,or  theGood  of  othcrs,be  as  proper 
*'  aPrinciple  of  Virtue,  as  thelnftinct  towards  privateHap- 

*•  pinefs  t If  it  be  faid,  that  Actions  from  Inftinct 

*'  are  not  the  Effect  of  Prudence  and  Choice,  this  Objecl- 
41  ion  will  hold  full  as  ftrongly  againft  the  Actions  which 
**  flow  from  Self-love." 

And  if  we  confider  what  Dr.  T\  declares  as  his  own  No- 
tion of  the  EfTence  of  Virtue,  we  fhall  find,  what  he 
fo  confidently  and  often  affirms,  of  it's  being  eflentiaj  to 
all  Virtue  that  it  ffiould  follow  Choice  and  proceed  from 
it,  is  no  lefs  repugnant  to  that,  than  it  is  to  the  Nature  of 
Things,and  the  general  Notions  of  Mankind.  For  'tis  his 
Notion,  as  well  as  Mr.  Hutcbe/bn's,  that  the  EfTence  of 
Virtue  lies  mgood  AffeRion,  and  particularly  in  Benevo- 
lence ox  Love  :  as  he  very  fully  declares  in  thefe  Words 
in  his  Key,  *  "  That  the  Word  that  fignifies  Goodnefs  and 
*'  Mercy,  fliould  alfo  fignify  moral  Rectitude  in  general, 
%t  will  not  feem  ftrange,  if  we  confider  that  Love  is  the 
"  fulfilling  of  the  Law.  Goodnefs  according  to  the  Senfe 
"  of  Scripture,  and  the  Nature  of  Things,  includes  ali 
*£  moral  ReSlitude  ;  which,I  reckon,  may  every  Part  of 
"  it,  where  it  is  true  and  genuine,  be  refolved  into  this 
"  fingle  Principle"  If  it  be  fo  indeed,  then  certainly  no 
Act  whatfoever  can  have  moral  Reclitude,  but  what  pro- 
ceeds from  this  Principle.  And  confequently  no  Act  of 
Volition  or  Choice  can  have  any  moral  Rectitude,  that 
takes  Place  before  this  Principle  exifts.     And  yet  he  mod; 

confidently 
—         r___         |  a  1  1 

*  Marginal  Note  annexed  to  §.  326. 


Chap.  I.")  ^^/^OnginalRighteoufnefs.  143 

confidently  affirms,  that  Thought,  Refle&ion  and  Choice 
muft  go  before  Virtue,  and  that  all  Virtue  or  Righteouf- 
nefs mud  be  the  Fruit  of  preceeding  Choice.  This  brings 
his  Scheme  to  an  evident  Contradiction.  For  no  Act  of 
Choice  can  be  virtuous  but  what  proceeds  from  a  Principle 
of  Benevolence  or  Love  ;  for  he  infills  that  all  genuine 
moral  Rectitude,  in  every  Part  of  it,  is  refolved  into  this 
(ingle  Principle  :  And  yet  the  Principle  of  Benevolence  it 
felf,  can't  be  virtuous,unlefs  it  proceeds  fromChoice  ;  for 
he  affirms  that  Nothing  can  have  the  Nature  of  Virtue 
but  what  comes  from  Choice.  So  that  virtuous  Love,  as 
the  Principle  of  all  Virtue,  muft  go  before  virtuous  Choice, 
and  be  the  Principle  or  Spring  of  it  ;  and  yet  virtuous 
Choice  muft  go  before  virtuous  Benevolence,  and  be  the 
Spring  of  that.  If  a  virtuous  Act  of  Choice  goes  before  a 
Principle  of  Benevolence,  and  produces  it,  then  this  virtu- 
ous Aft  is  Something  diftinct  from  that  Principle  which 
follows  it,  and  is  it's  Effect.  So  that  here  is  at  lead  one 
Part  of  Virtue,  yea  the  Spring  and  Source  of  all  Virtue, 
viz.  a  virtuous  Choice,  that  cannot  be  refolved  into  that 
fingle  Principle  of  Love. 

Here  alfo  it  is  worthy  to  be  obferved,  that  Dr.  T.  P.  1 2  8. 
fays,  T'he  Caufe  of  every  Effe ft, alone,  is  chargeable  with 
the  Ef eel  itproduceth,  or  which  proceedeth  from  it :  And 
fo  he  argues,  that  if  the  Effect  be  bad,  the  Caufe  alone  is 
finful.  According  to  which  Reafoning,  when  the  Effect 
is  good,  the  Caufe  alone  is  righteous  or  virtuous  ;  to  the 
Caufe  is  to  be  afcribed  all  the  Praife  of  thegood  Effect  it 
produceth.  And  by  the  fame  Reafoning  it  will  follow, 
that  if,  as  Dr.  T.  fays,  Adam  muft  chufeto  be  righteous, 
before  he  was  righteous,and  if  it  be  eflential  to  the  Nature 
of  Righteoufnefs  or  moral  Reaitude,  that  it  be  the  Effect 
of  Choice,and  hence  a  Principle  of  Benevolence  can't  have 
moral  Rectitude, unlefs  it  proceeds  from  Choiee  ;  then  not 
to  the  Principle  of  Benevolence,  which  is  the  Effect,  but 
•  to  the  foregoing  Choice  alone,  is  to  be  afcribed  all  th« 
Virtue  or  Righteoufnefs  that  is  in  the  Cafe.  And  fo,  in 
Stead  of  all  moral  Rectitude,  in  every  Part  of  it,  being 
■  ■  refolved 


?44  Of  Dr. T—vs  grand  Argument  Part  IL 

refolved  into  that  Tingle  Principle  of  Benevolence,  no 
moral  Rectitude*  in  any  Part  of  it,  is  to  be  refolved  into 
that  Principle  :  But  all  is  to  be  refolved  into  the  forego- 
ing Choice,  which  is  the  Caufe. 

But  yet  it  follows  from  thefe  inconfiftent  Principles, 
there  is  no  moral  Rectitude  or  Virtue  in  the  firft  Act 
of  Choice,  that  is  the  Caufe  of  all  confecjuent  Virtue. 
This  follows  two  Ways  ;  i .  Becaufe  every  Part  of  Virtue 
lies  in  the  benevolent  Principle,  which  is  the  Effect  ;  and 
therefore  no  Part  of  it  can  lie  in  the  Caufe.  2.  The 
Choice  of  Virtue,as  to  the  firft  Act  at  lead,  can  have  no 
Virtue  or  Righteoufnefs  at  all,  becaufe  it  don't  proceed 
from  any  foregoing  Choice.  For  Dr.  T".  infills,  that  a 
Man  muft  firft  have  Reflection  and  Choice,  before  he  can 
have  Righteoufnefs ;  and  that  it  is  efTential  to  Holinefs, 
that  it  proceed  from  Choice.  So  that  the  firft  Choice  of 
Holinefs,  which  Holinefs  proceeds  from,  can  have  noVir- 
tue  at  all,  becaufe  by  the  Suppofition  it  don't  proceed  from 
Choice,being  the  firft  Choice.  Hence  if  it  be  efTential  to 
Holinefs,  that  it  proceeds  from  Choice,  it  muft  proceed 
from  an  unholy  Choice  ;  unlefs  the  firft  holy  Choice  can 
be  before  it  felf,  or  there  be  a  virtuous  Act  of  Choice 
before  that  which  is  firft  of  all. 

And  with  refpect  to  Adam,  let  us  confider  how  upon 
Dr.  T — r's  Principles,  it  was  pofnble  he  ever  mould  have 
any  fuch  Thing  as  Righteoufnefs,  by  any  Means  at  all. 
In  the  State  wherein  God  created  him,  he  could  have  no 
fuch  thing  as  Love  to  God,  or  any  Love  or  Benevolence 
in  his  Heart.  For  if  fo,  there  would  have  been  Original 
Righteoufnefs  ;  there  would  have  been  genuine  moral 
Rediiude  ;  Nothing  would  be  wanting  :  For  our  Author 
fays,  T'rue  genuine  moral  Reditude,  in  every  Part  of  it, 
is  to  be  refolved  into  this  Jingle  Principle.  But  if  he 
were  wholly  without  any  fuch  thing  as  Love  to  God,  or 
any  virtuous  Love,  how  fhould  he  come  by  Virtue  ?  The 
Anfwer  doubtlefs  will  be,  By  Act  of  Choice  :  he  muft 
firft  chufe  to  be  virtuous.  But  what  if  he  did  chufe  to 
be  virtuous  ?  It  could  not  be  from  Love  to  God,  or  any 

virtuous 


Sect*/';?  0£tf/^OriginalRighteoufnefs.  153 

virtuous  Principle,  that  hs  chofe  it  ;  for,  by  the  Supposi- 
tion, he  has  no  fuch  Principle  in  his  Heart  :  And  if  he 
chufes  it  without  fuch  a  Principle,  dill,  according  to  this 
Author,  there  is  no  Virtue  in  his  Choice  ;  for  all  Virtue, 
he  fays,  is  to  be  refolved  into  that  (ingle  Principle  of  Love. 
Or  will  he  fay,  there  may  be  produced  in  the  Heart  a 
virtuous  Benevolence  by  an  Aft  or  A  els  of  Choice,  that 
are  not  virtuous  ?  But  this  don't  confid  with  what  he 
implicitly  a(Terts,  That  to  theCaufe  alone  is  to  be  afcribed 
what  is  in  the  Effect.  So  that  there  is  no  Way  can  poffi- 
bly  be  devifed,  iri  Confidence  with  Dr.  T— r's  Scheme,in 
which  Adam  ever  could  have  any  Righteoufnefs,or  could 
ever  either  obtain  any  Principle  of  Virtue,  or  perform  any 
one  virtuous  Act. 

Thefe  confufed  inconfiflent  AfTertions,  concerning  Vir- 
tue and  moral  Rectitude,  arife  from  the  abfurd  Notions  in 
Vogue,  concerning  Freedom  of  Will,  as  if  it  confided  in 
the  Will's  Self- deter  mining  Power,  fuppofed  to  be  necef- 
fary  to  moral  Agency, Virtue  andVice.  The  Abfurdities 
of  which,  with  the  Grounds  of  thefe  Errors,  and  what  the 
Truth  is  refpefting  thefe  Matters,  with  the  Evidences  of  it, 
I  have,  according  to  my  Ability,  fully  and  largely  confl- 
dered,  in  my  Enquiry  on  that  Subject.  ;  to  which  I  muft 
refer  the  Reader,  that  defires  further  Satisfaction,  and  is 
willing  tq  give  himfelf  the  Trouble  of  reading  that  Difr 


courfe 


Having  conlidered  this  great  Argument,  and  pretended 

Demondration  of  Dr.  T'—r's   againd  original  Rightecmf- 

0.00 

neis  ;  I  proceed  to  the  Proofs  of  the  Doctrine.  And  in 
the  firft  Place,  I  would  confider,  whether  there  be  not 
Evidence  of  it  in  the  three  firft  Chapters  of  Genefis  :  Or, 
whether  the  Hiftory  there  delivered,  don't  lead  us  to  nip- 
pofe,  that  out  firft  Parents  were  created  in  a  State  of  mo- 
ral Rectitude  and  Holinefs. 

I.  This  Hiftory  leads  us  to  fuppofe,  Adam's  Sin, with 
Relation  to  the  forbidden  Fruit,  was  the  firft  Sin  he  com- 
mitted. Which  could  not  have  been,  had  he  not  always, 
till  then,    been  perfectly  righteous,  righteous  from  the  firft 

L  JMon.en: 


I  «J4      Evidence  of  the  DoElrine     Part  If . 

Moment  of  bis  Exiflence  ;  and  confequently,  created  or 
brought  into  Exigence  righteous.  In  a  moral  Agent,fub- 
jeft  to  moral  Obligations,  it  is  the  fame  thing,  to  be  per- 
fectly innocent,  as  to  be  perfectly  righteous.  It  mull  be 
the  fame,  becaufe  there  can  no  more  be  any  Medium  be- 
tween Sin  and  Righteoufnefs,  or  between  being  right  and 
being  wrong,  in  a  moral  Senfe,  than  there  can  be  a  Me- 
dium between  ftreight  and  crooked,  in  a  natural  Senfe, 
Adam  was  brought  into  Exiflence  capable  of  acting  imme- 
diately, as  a  moral  Agent  :  and  therefore  he  was  immedi- 
ately under  a  Rule  of  right  Aftion  :  he  was  obliged  as 
foon  as  he  exifted,  to  aft  right.  And  if  he  was  obliged 
to  aft  right  as  foon  as  he  exifted,  He  was  obliged  even 
then  to  be  inclined  to  aft  right.  Dr.  T*.  fays,  P.  442. 
"  Adam  could  not  fin  without  a  finful  Inclination  ":  * 
And,  juft  for  the  fame  Reafon,  he  could  not  do  right, with- 
out an  Inclination  to  right  Action.  And  as  he  was  obliged 
to  aft  right  from  the  firft  Moment  of  his  Exiflence, 
and  did  do  fo,  'till  he  finned  in  the  Affair  of  the  forbid- 
den Fruit,  he  muft  have  an  Inclination  or  Difpofition  of 
Heart  to  do  right  the  fir  ft  Moment  of  his  Exiflence  ;  and 
that  is  the  fame  as  to  be  created,  or  brought  into  Exiflence, 
with  an  Inclination  to  right  Aftion,  or,  which  is  the  fame 
Thing,  a  virtuous  and  holy  Difpofition  of  Heart. 

Here  it  will  be  in  vain  to  fay,  'Tis  true,  that  it  was  A- 
dam's  Duty  to  have  a  good  Difpofition  or  Inclination  as 
foon  as  it  was  polfible  to  be  obtained,  in  the  Nature  of 
Things  :  but  as  it  could  not  be  without  Time  to  eftablifli 
fuch  an  Habit,  which  requires  antecedent  Thought,  Re- 
flexion, and  repeated  right  Action  ;  therefore  all  that  A- 
dam  could  be  obliged  to  in  the  firft  Place,was  to  reflect  and 
confider  Things  in  a  right  Manner,  and  apply  himfelf  to 

right 


*  This  is  doubtlefs  true  :  for  altho'  there  was  no  natural  finful 
Inclination  in  Jdam,  yet  an  Inclination  to  that  Sin  ot  eating 
the  forbidden  Fruit,was  begotten  in  him  by  theDelufion  and 
Error  he  was  led  into  ;  and  this  Inclination  to  eat  the  for- 
bidden Fruit,  wiuft  preceed  his  actual  Eating. 


Sect**'  i'  }     ^Original  Righteoufnefs.       155 

right  Action,  in  order  to  obtain  a  right  Difpofition.  For, 
this  fuppofes,  that  even  this  Reflexion  and  Confideration, 
which  he  was  obliged  to,  was  right  Aclion.  Surely  ht 
was  obliged  to  it  no  otherwife  than  as  a  thing  that  was  right  ' 
And  therefore  he  muft  have  an  Inclination  to  this  right 
Action  immediately,  before  he  could  perform  thofe  firft 
right  Actions.  And  as  the  Inclination  to  them  fhould  be 
right,  the  Principle  or  Difpofition  from  which  he  per- 
formed even  thefe  Anions,  mud:  be  good.  Otherwife, 
the  Actions  would  not  be  right  in  the  Sight  of  Him  who 
looks  at  the  Heart  ;  nor  would  they  anfwer  the  Man's 
Obligations,  or  be  a  doing  his  Duty,  if  he  had  done  them 
for  fome  finifter  End,  and  not  from  a  Regard  to  God  and 
his  Duty.  Therefore  there  muft  be  a  Regard  to  God  and 
his  Duty  implanted  in  him  at  his  firft  Exiftence  :  Other- 
wife,  'tis  certain,  he  would  have  done  Nothing  from  a 
Regard  to  God  and  his  Duty  ;  no,  not  fo  much  as  to  reflect 
and  confider,  and  try  to  obtain  fuch  a  Difpofition.  The 
very  Suppofition  of  a  'Difpofition  to  right  Action  being  firft 
obtain'd  by  repeated  right  Aclion,  is  grofly  inconfiftent 
with  it  fclf :  for  it  fuppofes  a  Courfe  of  right  Action,£<?/W 
there  is  a  Difpofition  to  perform  any  right  Action. 

Thefe  are  no  invented  Quibb!es,or  Sophifms.  If  God 
expected  of  Adam  any  Obedience  or  Duty  to  him  at  all, 
when  he  firft  made  him,  whether  it  was  in  reflecting,  con- 
fidering,  or  any  way  exerting  the  Faculties  he  had  given 
him,  then  God  expected  he  fhould  immediately  exercife 
Love  and  Regard  to  Him.  For  how  could  it  be  expect- 
ed, that  Adam  fhould  have  a  ftrict  and  perfect  Regard  to 
God's  Commands  and  Authority,  and  his  Duty  to*  Him, 
when  he  had  no  Love  nor  Regard  to  Him  in  hisHeart,  nor 
could  it  be  expected  he  fhould  have  any  ?  If  Adam  from 
the  Beginning  did  his  Duty  to  God,  and  had  moreRefpect 
to  the  Will  of  his  Creator,  than  to  other  Things,  and  as 
much  Refpect  to  him  as  he  ought  to  have  ;  then  from  the 
Beginning  he  had  a  fupreme  and  perfect  Refpect  and  Love 
to  God  :  And  if  fo,  he  was  created  with  fach  a  Principle. 
There  is  no  avoiding  the  Confequence.     Not  only  external 

L  2  Duties, 


1 5^6       Evidence  of  the  DoSirine     Part  II. 

Duties,  but  internal  Duties,  fuch  as  fummarily  confid  in 
Love,  mud  be  immediately  required  of  Adam,  as  foon  as 
he  exided,  if  any  Duty  at  all  was  required.  For  'tis  moil 
apparently  abfurd,  to  talk  of  a  fpiritual  Being,with  the  Fa- 
culties of  Underdanding  and  Will,  being  required  to  per- 
externalDuties,without  internal.  Dr.T.  himielf,obferves; 
that  Love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  Law,  and  that  all  ?noral 
Red  i  tilde,  even  every  Part  of  it,  muft  be  refolded  into  that 
fingle  Principle.  Therefore,  if  any  morally  right  Act  at 
all,  Reflexion,  Confideration,  or  any  thing  elfe,was  requir- 
ed of  Adam  immediately,  on  his  firil  Exigence,  and  was 
performed  as  required ;  then  he  mud,  the  firft  Moment  of 
his  Exigence,  have  his  Heart  poflefled  of  that  Principle 
of  divine  Love  ;  which  implies  the  whole  of  moral  Recti- 
tude in  every  Pare  of  it,  according  to  our  Author's  ownDoct- 
rine  ;  and  fo  the  whole  of  moral  Rectitude  or  Righteouf- 
jaefs  mud  begin  with  his  Exidence :  which  is  the  Thing 
'taught  in  the  Doctrine  of  original  Righteoufnefs. 

And  let  us  confidcr  how  it  could  be  otherwife,  than  that 
+Adam  was  always, in  every  Moment  of  hisExidence,obliged 
to  exercife  fuch  Regard  ©rRefpect  of  Heart  towards  every 
Object  or  Thing,  as  was  agreable  to  the  apparent  Merit  of 
that  Object.  For  Indance, would  it  not  at  anyTime  have 
been  a  becoming  Thing  in  Adam^  on  the  Exhibition  to 
his  Mind  of  God's  infinite  Goodnefs  to  him,  for  him  to 
have  exercifed  anfwerable  Gratitude  ;  and  the  contrary 
have  been  unbecoming  and  odious  I  And  if  fomething 
had  been  prefented  to  Adam's  View,  tranfeendently  ami- 
able in  it  fclf,  as  for  Indance,  the  glorious  Perfection  of 
the  divine  Nature,  would  it  not  have  become  him  to  love, 
relifh  and  delighf  in  it  ?  Would  not  fuch  an  Object 
have  merited  this  ?  And  if  the  View  of  an  Object  fo  a- 
miable  in  it  felf  did  not  affect  his  Mind  with  Complacence, 
would  it  not,  according  to  the  plain  Dictates  of  our  Un- 
derftanding,have  fhown  an  unbecomingTemper  of  Mind? 
To  fay,  that  he  had  not  had  Time,  by  Culture,  to  form 
and  edablifti  a  good  Difpofuion  or  Relilh,  is  not  what 
woul  1  h  Lve  taketa  off  the  Difaercablenefs  &  Odioufhefs  of 

the 


Chap.  I.  7       ^Original  Righteoufnefs.  157 

the  Temper.  And  if  there  had  been  never  fo  muchTime, 
I  don't  fee,  how  it  could  be  expected  he  ihould  improve 
it  aright,  in  order  to  obtain  a  good  Difpofition,  if  he  had 
not  already  fome  good  Difpofition  to  engage  him  to  it. 

That  belonging  to  theWill  and  Difpofition  of  theHeart, 
which  is  in  it  felf  either  odious  or  amiable,  unbecoming  or 
decent,  always  would  have  been  Adams  Virtue  or  Sin, 
at  any  Moment  of  his  Exigence  ;  if  there  be  any  fuch 
Thing  as  Virtue  orVice  ;  by  whichNothing  can  be  meant, 
but  That  in  our  moral  Difpofition  and  Behaviour, v/hich  is 
becoming  or  unbecoming,  amiable  or  odious. 

Human  Nature  mull  be  created  with  fome  Difpofitions  ;• 
a  Difpofition  to  relifh.  fome  Things  as  good  and  amiable, 
and  to.be  averfe  to  other  Things  as  odious  &:  difagreable, 
Qtherwife,  it  muft  be  without  any  fuch  Thing  as  Inclina- 
tion or  Will  :  It  muft  be  perfectly  indifferent,  without 
Preference,without  Choice  orAverfion  towards  any  Thing, 
as  agreable  or  difagreable.  But  if  it  had  any  concreated 
Difpofitions  at  all,  they  muft  be  either  right  or  wrong,  ei- 
ther agreable  or  difagreable  to  the  Nature  of  Things.  If 
I\Ian  had  at  flrft  the  higheft  Relifh  of  thofe  Things  that 
were  moil  excellent  and  beautiful,  a  Difpofition  to  have 
the  quickeft  and  higheft  Delight  in  thofeThings  that  were 
moft  worthy  of  it,  then  his  Difpofitions  were  morally  right 
and  amiable,  and  never  can  be  decent  and  excellent  in  a 
higher  Senfe.  But  if  he  had  a  Difpofition  to  love  moft 
thofe  things  that  were  inferiour  and  lefs  worthy,  then  his 
Difpofitions  were  vicious.  And  'tis  evident  there  can  ba 
noMedium  between  thefe. 

II.  This  Notion  of  Adams,  being  created  without  a 
Principle  of  Hoiinefs  in  his  Heart,  taken  with  the  reft  of 
Dr.  T~- r?s  Scheme,  is  inconflftent  with  what  the  Hiftory 
in  the  Beginning  of  Genefn  leads  us  to  fuppofe  of  the  great 
Favours  and  Smiles  of  Heaven,  which  Adam  enjoyed, 
while  he  remained  in  Innocency.  The  Mofatc  Account 
fuggefts  to  us,  that  till  Adam  fin?d,  he  was  in  happy  Cir- 
cumftances,  furrounded  with  Teftimonies  and  Fruits  of 
G eel's  Favour.     This  is  implicitly  own'd  by  Dr,  2T,  when 

he 


258       Evidence  of  the  Dofl rine     Part  II. 

he  fays,  P.  252.-  "  That  in  the  Difpenfation  our  flrft  Pa- 
"  rents  were  under,  before  the  Fall, they  were  placed  in  a 
**  Condition  proper  to  engage  their  Gratitude,  Love  and 
"  Obedience.'9  But  it  will  follow  on  our  Author's  Prin- 
ciples, that  Adam  while  in  Innocency,  was  placed  in  far 
worfeCircumflances,than  he  was  in  after  his  Difobedience, 
and  infinitely  worfe  than  his  Pofterity  are  in  ;  under  un- 
fpeakably  greater  Difadvantages  for  the  avoiding  Sin,  and 
the  Performance  of  Duty.  For  by  his  Docirine  Adamh 
Pofterity  come  into  theY/orld  with  their  Hearts  as  free  from 
any  Propensity  to  Sin  as  he,and  he  was  made  as  deftitute  of 
any  Propenfity  toRighteoufnefs  as  they  :  and  yet  God,  in 
Favour  to  them,  does  great  Things  to  red  rain  them  from 
Sin,  &  excite  them  toVirtue#which  he  never  did  for  Adam 
In  Innocency,  but  laid  his*,  in  the  high  eft  Degree,  under 
contrary  Difadvantages.  God,  as  an  Inftanceof  his  great 
Favour,  and  fatherly  Love  to  Man,  fince  the  Fall,  has 
denied  him  the  Eafe  and  PJeafures  of  Paradife,  which  grati- 
fied and  allured  his  Senfes,  and  bodily  Appetites;  that  he 
might  diminish  his  Temptations  to  Sin  :  And  as  a  ftili 
greater  Means  to  reftrain  from  Sin,  and  promote  Virtue, 
has  fubjected  him  to  Labour, Toil  &  Sorrow  in  theWorld  : 
And  not  only  fo,  but  as  a  Means  to  promote  his  fpiritual 
and  eternalGood  far  beyond  this,has  doom'd  him  toDeath  : 
And  when  all  this  was  found  infufficknt,  he,  in  further 
Profecution  of  the  Defigns  of  his  Love,  fhortned  Men's 
Lives  exceedingly,  made  them  twelve  or  thirteen  times 
shorter  than  in  the  firft  Ages.  And  yet  this,  with  all  the 
innumerable  Calamities,  which  God  in  great  Favour  to 
Mankind  has  brought  on  the  World, whereby  their  Temp- 
tations are  fo  vaftly  cut  fhort,  and  the  Means  and  Induce- 
ments to  Virtue  heaped. one  upon  another,  to  fo  great  a 
Degree,  all  have  proved  inefficient,  now  for  fo  many 
Thoufand  Years  together,  to  reftrain  from  Wickednefs  in 
any  conliderableDegree ;  innocent  humanNature,all  along, 
coming  into  the  World  with  the  fame  Purity  and  harmlefs 
Difpofitions,  that  our  flrft  Parents  had  in  Paradife.  What 
vaft  Difadvantages  indeed  then  lmiRAdam  and  Eve  be  in, 

that 


Sffi    °fOv\gmz\  Righteoufnefs.    i59 

that  had  no  more  in  their  Nature  to  keep  them  from  Sin 
or  incline  'em  to  Virtue,  than  their  Pofterity,  and  yet 
were  without  all  thefe  additional  &  extraordinary  Means  I 
Not  only  without  fuch  exceeding  great  Means  as  we  now 
hare,  when  our  Lives  are  made  fo  very  fhort,  but  having- 
vaftly  lefs  Advantages  than  their  Antediluvian  Pofterityt 
who  to  prevent  their  being  wicked  and  to  make  'em  good, 
had  fo  much  Labour  and  Toil,  Sweat  and  Sorrow,  Briars 
and  Thorns,  with  a  Body  gradually  decaying  and  returning 
to  the  Duft ;  when  our  firft  Parents  had  the  extreme  Dis- 
advantage of  being  placed  in  the  midft  of  fo  many  and 
exceeding  great  Temptations ;  not  only  without  Toil  or 
Sorrow,Pain  or  Difeafe,to  humble  and  mortify  'em,  and  a 
Sentence  of  Death  to  wean  'em  from  theWorkf  but  in  the 
midft  of  the  moil  exquifite  &  alluring  fenfitiveDelights5the 
Reverfe  in  every  refpect,  and  to  the  higheft  Degree  of 
that  moll:  gracious  State  of  requifite  Means,  and  great  Ad- 
vantages, which  Mankind  now  enjoy  1  If  Mankind  now 
under  thefe  vaft  Reftraints,  and  great  Advantages,  are  no;: 
reftrained  from  general,  and  as  it  were  univerfal  Wicked- 
nefs,  how  could  it  be  expected  ihat^ldam  &  Eve,  created 
with  no  better  Hearts  than  Men  bring  into  the  World 
now,  and  deftitute  of  all  thefeAdvantages.  and  in  the  midft 
of  all  contrary  Difadvantages,  ihould  efeape  it  ? 

Thefe  Things  are  not  agreable  to  Mofesh  Account  ; 
which  reprefents  an  happy  State  of  peculiar  Favours  and 
Bleffings  before  the  Fall,  and  the  Curfe  coming  after- 
wards :  but  according  to  this  Scheme,  the  Curfe  was  be- 
fore the  Fall,  and  the  great  Favours  and  Teftimonies  of 
Love  followed  the  Apoftacy.  And  the  Curfe  before  the 
Fall  muft  be  a  Curfe  with  a  Witnefs,being  to  fo  high  a  De- 
gree the  Reverfe  of  fuch  Means,  Means  fo  nece":ary  for 
fuch  a  Creature  as  innocentMan,and  in  all  their  Multitude 
and  Fulnefs  proying  too  little.  Paradife  therefore  muft 
be  a  meer  Delufion  !  There  was  indeed  a  great  Shew  of 
Favour,in  placing  Man  in  the  midft  of  fuch  Delights.  But 
this  delightful  Garden,  it  feems,  with  ail  it's  Beauty  and 
Sweetnefs,  was  in  it's  real  Tendency  worfe  than  the  Ap- 
ples 


i  60       Evidence  of  the  DoSirine     Part  IL 

pies  of  Sodom  :  It  was  but  a  mcer  Bait  (God  forbid  the 
Blafphemy)  the  more  effectually  enticing  by  it's  Beauty 
and  Delicioufnefs,  to  Adam's  eternal  Ruin  :  which  might 
be  the  more  expected  to  be  fatal  to  him,  feeing  that  he 
was  the  firft  Man  that  ever  exifted,  having  no  Superiority 
of  Capacity  to  his  Pofterity,  and  wholly  without  the  Ad- 
vantage of  the  Obfervations,  Experiences  and  Improve- 
ments of  precedingGenerations  ;  which  his  Pofterity  have. 

I  proceed  now  to  take  Notice  of  an  Additional  Proof  of 
the  Doctrine  we  are  upon,  from  another  Part  of  the  holy 
Scripture.  A  very  clear  Text  for  original  Right eoufnefs 
is  that  in  Ecclef.  vii.  29.  Lo,  this  only  have  I  found, that 
God  made  Man  upright  ;  hit  they  have  fought  out  many 
Inventions. 

It  is  an  Observation  of  no  Weight, which  Dr.  T.  makes 
on  this  Text,  that  the  Word  Man  is  commonly  ufed  to 
fignify  Mankind  in  generator  Mankind  collectively  taken. 
It  is  truest  often  Signifies  the  Species  of  Mankind  :  but 
then  it  is  ufed  to  fignify  the  Species  with  regard  to  it's 
Duration  and  Succejjion  from  it's  Beginning,  as  well  as 
with  regard  to  it's  Extent.  The  Englifh  Word  Man- 
kind is  ufed  to  fignify  the  Species  :  but  what  if  it  be  fo  ? 
Would  it  be  an  improper  or  unintelligible  way  of  Speaking, 
to  fay,  that  when  God  flrft  made  Mankind,  he  placed 
them  in  a  pleafant  Paradife  (meaning  in  their  firfl  Parents) 
but  now  they  live  in  the  midit  of  Briars  &  Thorns  ?  And 
'tis  certain,  that  to  fpeak  of  God's  making  Mankind  in 
fnch  a  Meaning,  viz.  his  giving  the  Species  an  Exigence 
in  their  firfl  Parents,  at  the  Creation  of  the  World,  is  a- 
grcable  to  the  Scripture-Life  of  fuch  an  ExprerTion.  As 
in  Deut.  iv.  32.  Since  the  "Day  that  God  CREATED 
MAN  upon  the  Earth.  Job  xx.  4.  Knoweft  thou  not 
this  of  old,  f  nee  MAN  was  placed  upon  the  Earth.  Ifai. 
xlv.  12.  I  have  made  the  Earth,  and  CREATET> 
MAN  upon  it :  I,  even  my  Hands,  have  ftretched  cut 
the  Heavens.  Jer.  xxvii.  5.  /  HAVE  MADE  the- 
Earih,  the  MAN  and  the  Beaft  that  are  upon  the 
Ground,  by  my  great  Pozcer.     All  thefe  Texts  fpeak  of 

God's 


SElJ    ^/"Original  Righteoufnefs.     153 

God's/noi/^JWbffyby  theWord,il<fa«,{igmfying  theSpecies 
of  Mankind  ;  and  yet  they  all  plainly  have  Refpect  to 
God's  making  Man  at  fir  ft,  when  God  made  the  Earth, 
and  ftretched  out  theHedvtrisfand  created  the  firftParents 
of  Mankind.  In  all  thefe  Places  the  fame  Word  Adam 
is  ufed,  as  here  in  Ecclefiaftes  ;  and  in  the  laft  of  them, 
u  fed  wkhHE  emphaticum,zs  it  is  here  ;  tho'Dr.Tl  omits  it, 
wlien  he  tells  us,  he  gives  us  a  Catalogue  of  all  the  Places 
of  Scripture,  where  theWord  is  ufed.  And  it  argues  No- 
thing to  the  Doctor's  Purpofe,  that  the  Pronoun,  They,  is 
ufed.  They  have  fought  out  many  Inventions,  Which 
is  properly  applied  to  the  Species,  which  God  made  at  firft 
upright  :  God  having  begun  the  Species  with  more  than 
one,  and  it  being  continued  in  a  Multitude.  As  Chrift 
fpeaks  of  the  two  Sexes,  in  the  Relation  of  Man&  Wife, 
as  continued  in  fuccefllve  Generations.  Maah.  xix.  4.  He 
that  MADE  THEM  at  the  Beginning,  made  them 
Male  and  Female  ;  having  Reference  to  Adam  &  Eve, 
No  lefs  impertinent,  and  alfo  very  unfair  is  his  Criticifm 
en  the  Word  Jafbar,  translated  Upright.  Becaufe  the 
Word  fornetimes  fisnifies  Right,  he  would  from  thence 
mrer,  tnatjt  don  Improperly  flgnify  a  moral  Rectitude. even 
when  ufed  to  exprefs  the  Character  of  moral  Agents.  He 
might  as  well  infill",  that  the  Englifh  Word  Upright,  forne- 
times, and  in  it's  moft  originalMeaning.,  fignifying  right  up, 
or  in  an  erect  Pofture,  therefore  [it  don't)  properly  flg- 
nify any  moral  Character,  when  applied  to  moral  Agents: 
And  indeed  lefs  unreafonably  ;  for 'tis  known,  that  in. the 
Hebrew Langn&ge,  in  a  peculiar  Manner,  moft  Words 
ufed  to  flgnify  moral  and  fpiritual  Things,  are  taken  fro.n 
Things  external  and  natural.  The  \Yordja//;ar  is  ufed, 
as  applied  to  moral  Agents,  or  to  the  Words  and  Actions  of 
fuch  (if  I  have  not  mif-reckon'd  *)  about  no  Times  in 
Scripture  j  and  about  an  1 00  of  them,  without  all  Difpute, 

M  '     to 

*  Making  Ufc  of  Buxtorfs  Concordance,  which  according  to 
the  Author's  profefs'd   Defign,    directs   to   all    the  Places 
'where  the  Word  is  ufed. 


5 54     0/"  Original  RigTiteoufnefs.   Part  If. 

to  fignify  Virtue,  or  moral  Rectitude  (tho'  Dr.3T.is  pleafed 
to  fay,theWord  don't  generally  fignify  a  moralCharacter ;) 
and  for  the  moft.  Part  it  fignifies  true  Virtue,  or  Virtue  in 
fuch  a  Senfie,  as  diftinguiihes  it  from  all  falfe  Appearances 
of  Virtue,  or  what  is  only  \ irtue  in  fome  Refpects,  but 
not  truly  fo  in  the  Sight  of  God.  It  is  ufed  at  leaft  Bo 
Times  in  this  Senfe.  And  fcarce  any  Word  can  be  found 
in  the  Hebrezv  Language  more  fignificant  of  this.  It  is 
thus  ufed  conilantly  in  So!omon\  Writings  (where  'tis  of- 
ten found)  when  ufed  to  exprefs  a  Character  or  Property 
of  moral  Agents.  And  it  is  beyond  all  Controverfy  that 
he  ufes  it  in  this  Place  in  the  viith  of  Ecclef.  to  fignify  a 
moral  Rectitude,  or  Character  of  real  \  irtue  and  Integ- 
rity. For  the  wife  Man,  in  this  Context,  is  fpeaking  of 
Men  with  refpect  to  their  moral  Character,  enquiring  into 
the  Corruption  and  Depravity  of  Mankind  (as  is  confefs'd 
P.  1 84.)  and  he  here  declares,  he  had  not  found  more  than 
one  among  a  Thoufand,  of  the  rightStamp,  truly  and  tho- 
roughly virtuous  and  upright:  which  appear'd  a  (Irange 
thing  1  But  in  this  Text,  he  clears  God,  and  lays  the 
Blame  to  Man  :  Man  was  not  made  thus  at  flrft.  Ke  was 
made  of  the  right  Stamp,  altogether  good  in  his  Kind  (as 
all  other  things  were)  truly  and  thoroughly  virtuous,  as 
he  ought  to  be  ;  But  they  have  fought  out  many  Inven- 
tions. Which  lafl  Exprefllon  fignifies  things  fmful,  or  mo- 
rally evil ;  as  is  confefs'd,  P.i  85.  And  thisExpreffion,u fed 
to  fignify  thofe  moral  Evils  he  found  in  Man,  which 
he  fets  in  Oppofition  to  the  Uprightnefs  Man  was  made 
in,  fhews,  that  byUprightnefs  he  means  the  moft  true  and 
iincere  Gcodnefs.-.  The  Word  rendered  Inventions,  moft 
naturally  8:  aptly  fignifies  the  fubtil  Dev:ees,and  crooked 
deceitful  Ways  of  Hypocrites,  wherein  they  are  of  a  Cha- 
racter contrary  to  Men  of  Simplicity  and  godly  Sincerity  ; 
who,  tho'  wife  in  that  which  is  good,  are  fimple  concern- 
ing Evil.  Thus  the  fame  wife  Man  in  Prov.  xii.  2.  fets  a 
truly  good  Man  in  Oppofition  to  a  Man  of  zvicked  'De- 
vices, whomGod  will  condemn.  Solomon  had  Occafion  to 
ohferve  many  who  put  on  an  artfulDifguife  and  fair  Shew 


Chap  i [.7  What  Death,// <reatmd 'to Adam.i  zc 

Sect.IL  J 

of  Goodnefs  ;  but  on  fearching  thoroughly,he  found  very 
few  truly  upright.  As  he  fays,  Prov.  xx.  6.  Moft  Men 
ivi 11  proclaim  every  one  his  own  Goodnefs  :  but  a  faithful 
Man  who  can  find  f  So  that  it  is  exceeding  plain,  that 
by  Uprightness,  in  this  Place  in  Ecclejlafles,  Solomon 
means  true  moral  Goodnefs. 

What  our  Author  urges  concerning  many  Inventions  be- 
ing fpoken  of,  v/hereas^damys  eating  the  forbidden  Fruit 
was  but  one  Invention,  is  of  as  little  Weight  as  the  reft 
of  what  he  fays  on  this  Text.  For  the  many  Lufts  and 
Corruptions  of  Mankind,  appearing  in  innumerable  Ways 
of  finning,  are  all  theConfequence  of  that  Sin.  The  great 
Corruption  Men  are  fallen  into  by  the  original  Apoftacy, 
appears  in  the  Multitude  of  wicked  Ways  they  are  in- 
clined to.  And  therefore  thefe  are  properly  mentioned 
as  the  Fruits  and  Evidences  of  the  Greatnefs  of  that  A* 
poftacy  and  Corruption. 


Sect.     II. 

Concerning  the  Kind  of  Death,  threat ned  to  our  fir  ft 
^Parents,  iftheyflmild  eat  of  the  forbidden  Fruit. 

R.  T".  in  his  Obfervations  on  the  three  firfl  Chapters 
of  Genefis,  fays,  P.  7.  "  The  Threatning  toMan 
"  inCafe  of  Tranfgreflion  was,that  he  fhould  furely  die. — - 
"  Death  is  the  lofmg  of  Life.  Death  is  oppos'd  to  Life,and 
"  muft  be  underftood  according  to  the  Nature  of  thatLife, 
<s  to  which  it  isoppofed.  Now  the  Death  here  threaten'd 
{it  can,  with  any  Certainty,  be  oppofed  only  to  the  Life 
"  God  gavc/&/aw,when  he  created  him,ver.7.  Any  thing 
"  befides  this  mud  be  pure  Conjecture,  without  folid 
u  Foundation." 

To  this  I  would  fay ;  'Tis  true,  "Death  is  oppofed  to 
Life,  and  mufi  be  underftood  according  to  the  Nature  of 
that  Life,  to  which  it  is  oppofed :  but  does  it  therefore 
follow,,  that  Nothing  can  be  meant  by  it  but  xhcLofs  of 

M  2  Life  ? 


S56    The  fir  ft  Threatning  imply  d   Part  II. 

Life  ?  Mifery  is  oppofed  to  Happinefs,  and  Sorrow  is  in 
Scripture  often  oppofed  tojoy  :  but  can  we  conclude  from 
thence,  that  Nothing  is  meant  in  Scripture  by  Sorrow,bnt 
the  Lofs  of  Joy  ?  Or  that  there  is  no  more  inMifery,  than 
the  Lofs  or  Abfence  of  Happinefs  ?  And  if  it  be  fo,  that 
the  Death  threntned  to  Adam  can,  withCertainty,  be  op- 
pofbd  only  to  the  lAfe  given  to  Adam,  whenGod  created 
him  ;  1  think,  a  State  of  perfect,  perpetual  and  hopelefs 
Mifery  is  properly  oppofed  to  that  State  Adam  was  in, 
ivhenGod  created  him.  For  I  fuppofe,  it  won't  bedeny'd, 
that  the  Life  Adam  had,  was  truly  a  happy  Life  ;  happy 
in  perfect  Innocency,  in  the  Favour  of  his  Maker,  far- 
rounded  with  the  happy  Fruits  and  Tcftimonies  of  his 
Love  :  and  I  think  it  has  been  proved,  that  he  aifo  was 
happy  in  a  State  of  perfect.  Rigkteoufnefs.  And  Nothing 
is  more  manifeit,than  that  it  is  agreable  to  a  very  common 
Acceptation  of  theWord,  Life, in  Scripture,  that  it  be  un- 
der Mood  as  fignifying  a  State  of  excellent  and  happy  Ex- 
igence. Now  that  which  is  moft  oppofite  to  that  Life  and 
State  Adam  was  created  in,  is  a  State  of  total  confirmed 
Wickednefs,  and  perfect:  hopelefs  Mifery,  under  the  di- 
vine Difpleafure  andCurfe  ;  not  excluding  temporalDeath 
or  the  Deftmetion  of  the  Body,  as  an  Introduction  to  it. 

And  befides, that  which  is  much  more  evident,  than  any 
Thing  Dr.  T".  fays  on  this  Head,  is  this,  viz.  That  the 
'Death,  which  was  to  come  on  Adam,  as  the  Piinifhment 
of  his  cDifobediencei  was  oppofed  to  that  Life  which  he 
would  have  had  as  the  Reward  of  his  Obedience,  in  Cafe 
he  had  not  fin'd.  Obedience  andDifobedience  are  Con- 
traries :  And  the  Lhreatnings  and  Prom/fes,  that  are 
Sanctions  of  a  Law,  are  fet  in  direct  Oppofition  :  and  the 
pr&mifed  Rewards,  and  threatned  Pun ifbments,  are  what 
are  moll  properly  taken  as  each  others  Qppofites.  But 
none  will  deny, that  theLife  which  would  have  been  Adam's 
Reward^  he  had  perfifted  in  Obedience,was  eternal  Life. 
And  therefore  we  argue  juftly,  that  theDeath  which  [lands 
cfpofed  to  that  Life  (Dr.  T.  himfelf  being  Judge,P.3o6.) 
'  h  manifeftly  eternal  Death,    a   Death,  widely  different 

from 


Chap. 1. 7     foiritual  and  eternal  Death,     icy 

Sect. II   )         *  ^ 

from  therDeatb  vje  now  die, — to  ufe  his  own  Words.  If 
Adam,  for  his  perfeveringO£^//>/7^,was  to  have  had  ever. 
laflbng  Life  and  Happinefs,  in  perfett  Holinefs,  Union 
with  his  Maker,and  Enjoyment  of  his  Favour,  and  this  was 
the  Life  which  was  to  be  confirmed  by  the  Tree  of  Life; 
then  doubtlefs  theDeath  threatned  in  Cafe  of  Difobedience, 
which  (lands  in  direct  Oppofition  to  this,  was  a  being  given 
over  to  everlafling  JVickednefs  &  M'ifery,  in  Separation 
from  God   and  in  enduring  his  Wrath. 

And  it  may  with  the  greateft  Reafon  be  fuppofed,  that 
when  God  fir  ft  made  Mankind,  and  made  known  to  them 
the  Methods  of  his  moral  Government  towards  them,    in 
the  Revelation  he  made  of  Himfelf  to  the  natural  Head 
of  the  whole  Species  ;  and  let  him  know,  that  Obedience 
to  Him  was  expected  as  his  Duty  ;  and  inforced  thisDuty 
with  the.  Sanction  of   a  threaten'd  Punifhment,    called  by 
the  Name  of 'Death  ;  I  fay,    we  may   with   the  greateft 
Reafon    fuppofe   in    fuch  a    Cafe,    that  by   Death  was 
meant  that  fame  Death  which  God  efteemed  to  be  the  moft 
proper  Punifhment  of  the  Sin  of  Mankind,  and  which  he 
fpeaks  of  under  that  Name,  throughout  the  Scripture,  as 
the  proper  Wages  of  the  Sin  of  Man,  &  was  always  from 
the  Beginning  underftood  to  be  fo  in  the  Church  of  God. 
It  would  be  ftrange-  indeed,  if  it  (ho  ad  be  ctherwife.    It 
would  have  been  ftrange,   if  'when  the  Law  of  God  was 
firfi  given,'&  inforced  by  the'Threatning  of  a  Punifhment, 
Nothing    at   all  had  been  mention' d  of  that  great  Punifh- 
ment, ever  fpoken  of  under  the  Name  of  "'Death  (in  the 
Revelations  which  he  has  given  to  Mankind  from  Age  to 
Age)  as  the  proper  Punifhment  of  the   Sin  of  Mankind. 
And  it  would  be  no  lefs  ftrange,  if  when  the  Punifhrnea* 
which  was  mentioned  and  threatned  on  that  Occafion,  was 
called  by  the  fame  Name,  even  Death,    yet  we  mull  not 
underftand  it  to  mean  the  fame  Thing,  but  fomething  infi- 
nitely uiverfe,  and  infinitely  more  inconfiderable. 

But  now,  let  us  confider  what  that  Death  is,  which  the 

Scripture  ever  fpeaks  of  as  the  proper  Wages  of  the  Sin 

Mankind,  and  h  fpoken  of  as  fuch  by  God's  Saints  in 


i$8       Evidence  of  the  DoEirine     Part  II. 

he  fays,  P.  252,  "  That  in  the  Difpenfation  our  nrfr.  Pa- 
'■<  rents  were  under,  before  the  Fall, they  were  placed  in  a 
ct  Condition  proper  to  engage  their  Gratitude,  Love  and 
"  Obedience."  But  it  will  follow  on  our  Author's  Prin- 
ciples, that  Adam  while  in  Innocency,  was  placed  in  far 
worfeCircumflances,than  he  was  in  after  his  Difobedience, 
and  infinitely  worfe  than  his  Pofterity  are  in  ;  under  un- 
fpeakably  greater  Difadvantages  for  the  avoiding  Sin,  and 
the  Performance  of  Duty.  For  by  his  Doctrine  Ada?n\ 
Pofterity  come  into  th  eWorld  with  their  Hearts  as  free  from 
r.ny  Propensity  to  Sin  as  he,and  he  was  made  as  deilitute  of 
say  Propen(ity  toRighteoufnefs  as  ihey  :  and  yet  God,  in 
Favour  to  them,  does  great  Things  to  reft  rain  them  from 
Sin,  &  excite  them  to  Virtue,  which  he  never  did  for  Adam 
in  Innocency,  but  laid  him,  in  the  high  eft  Degree,  under 
contrary  Difadvantages.  God,  asanlnftanceof  his  great 
Favour,  and  fatherly  Love  to  Man,  fmce  the  Fall,  has 
denied  him  the  Eafe  and  Pleafures  of  Paradife,  which  grati- 
fied and  allured  his  Senfes,  and  bodily  Appetites ;  that  he 
might  diminifh  his  Temptations  to  Sin  :  And  as  a  ftili 
greater  Means  to  reftrain  from  Sin,  and  promote  Virtue, 
has  fubjecled  him  to  Labour, Toil  &  Sorrow  in  th eWorld  : 
And  not  only  fo,  but  as  a  Means  to  promote  his  fpiritual 
and  eternalGood  far  beyond  this,has  doom'd  him  toDeath  : 
And  when  all  this  was  found  infufhxient,  he,  in  further 
Profecution  of  the  Defigns  of  his  Love,  ihortned  Men's 
Lives  exceedingly,  made  them  twelve  or  thirteen  times 
shorter  than  in  the  ftrft  Ages.  And  yet  this,  with  all  the 
innumerable  Calamities,  which  God  in  great  Favour  to 
Mankind  has  brought  on  the  World, whereby  their  Temp- 
tations arefo  vaftly  cutfnort,  and  the  Means  and  Induce- 
ments to  Virtue  heaped  one  upon  another,  to  fo  great  a 
Degree,  all  have  proved  infufficient,  now  for  fo  many 
Thoufand  Years  together,  to  reftrain  from  Wickednefs  in 
any  confiderableDegree ;  innocent  humanNature,all  along, 
coming  into  the  World  with  the  fame  Purity  and  harmlefs 
Difpoiitions,  that  our  firft  Parents  had  in  Paradife.  Wrhat 
vnft  Difadvantages  indeed  then  mud  Adam  and  Eve  be  in, 

that 


f?b$  l'  }    °f  °riginal  Righteoufnefs.    1 5  9 

that  had  no  more  in  their  Nature  to  keep  them  from  Sin 
or  incline  'em  to  Virtue,  than  their  Pofterity,  and  yet 
were  without  all  thefe  additional  &  extraordinary  Means  I 
Not  only  without  fuch  exceeding  great  Means  as  we  now 
have,  when  our  Lives  are  made  fa  very  fhort,  but  having 
vaftly  lefs  Advantages  than  their  Antediluvian  Pofterity, 
who  to  prevent  their  being  wicked  and  to  make  'em  good, 
had  fo  much  Labour  and  Toil,  Sweat  and  Sorrow,  Briars 
and  Thorns,  with  a  Body  gradually  decaying  and  returning 
to  the  Dull ;  when  our  firft  Parents  had  the  extreme  Dif. 
advantage  of  being  placed  in  the  midft  of  fo  many  and 
exceeding  great  Temptations ;  not  only  without  Toil  or 
Sorrow,Pain  or  Difeafe,to  humble  and  mortify  'em,  and  a 
Sentence  of  Death  to  wean  'em  from  theWorld,  but  in  the 
midft  of  the  moft  exquifite  &  alluring  fenfitiveDelights3the 
Reverfe  in  every  refpect,  and  to  the  higheft  Degree  of 
that  moft  gracious  State  of  requifite  Means,  and  great  Ad- 
vantages, which  Mankind  now  enjoy  1  If  Mankind  now 
under  thefe  vaft  Reftraints,  and  great  Advantages,  are  not 
reftrained  from  general,  and  as  it  were  universal  Wicked- 
nefs,  how  could  it  be  expected  that^ldam  &  Evey  created 
with  no  better  Hearts  than  Men  bring  into  the  World 
now,  and  deftitute  of  all  thefeAdvantages.  and  in  the  midft 
of  all  contrary  Difadvantages,  fhould  efeape  it  ? 

Thefe  Things  are  not  agreable  to  Mofesh  Account  ; 
which  reprefents  an  happy  State  of  peculiar  Favours  and 
Bleffings  before  the  Fall,  and  the  Curfe  coming  after- 
wards :  but  according  to  this  Scheme,  the  Curfe  was  be- 
fore the  Fall,  and  the  great  Favours  and  Teftimonies  of 
Love  followed  the  Apoftacy.  And  the  Curfe  before  the 
Fall  muft  be  a  Curfe  with  a  Witnefs,being  to  fo  high  a  De- 
gree the  Reverfe  of  fuch  Means,  Means  fo  nece;Tary  for. 
fuch  a  Creature  as  innocentMan,andin  all  their  Multitude 
and  Fulnefs  proying  too  little.  Paradife  therefore  muft 
be  a  meer  Delufion  !  There  was  indeed  a  great  Shew  of 
Favour;in  placing  Man  in  the  midft  of  fuch  Delights.  But 
this  delightful  Garden,  it  feems,  with  ail  it's  Beauty  and 
Sweetnefs,  was  in  it's  real  Tendency  worfe  than  the  Ap- 
ples 


1 6b  Thefirft  Threatning  imply  d  Part  II. 

way  thereof  is  no  Death.  So  in  Chap.  x.2. — x'1.4. — xii*. 
ijl. — xiv.  27.  and  many  other  Places.  But  we  find,  this 
fame  Wife  man  obferves,  that  as  to  temporal  Death, 
and  temporal  Events  in  general,  there  is  no  Diftjn&ion, 
'but  that  they  happen  alike  to  good  and  bad.  Eccl. 
ii.  14,  15,  16. — viii  14,  &  ix.  2,3.  His  Words  are  re- 
markable in  Eccl.  vii.  15.  There  is  a  jujl  Man  that  pe- 
riiheth  in  his  Right  eoufnefs  ;  and  there  is  a  wj  eked  Man 
that  prolongeth  his  Life  in  hisJVickednefs. — So  we  find, 
'David  in  the  Book  of  Pfalms  ufes  the  Word  "Death  in 
the  fame  Senfe,when  he  fpeaks  of  it  as  the  proper  Wages 
and  IfTue  of  Sin.  PfaL  xxxiv.  21.  Evil  f ball  day  the 
Wicked.  He  fpeaks  of  it  2s  a  certainThing,  Pfal.cxxxix. 
19.  Surely  Thou  wilt  flay  the  TVicked,  O  God.  And 
he  fpeaks  of  it  as  a  Thing  wherein  the  Wicked  are  diflin- 
guifhed  from  the  Righteous,  Pfal  lxix.  28.  Let  them  he 
blotted  out  of  the  Book  of  the  Living,  .and  not  be  written 
-with  the  Righteous. — And  thus  we  find  the  Word  De  '1 
ufed  in  the  Pentateuch,  or  Books  of  Mofes  :  in  which 
Part  of  the  Scripture  it  is,  that  we  have  the  Account  of 
the  Threatning  of  Death  to  Adam.  When  Death,  in 
thefe  Books,  is  fpoken  of  as  the  proper  Fruit  &  appointed 
Reward  of  Sin,  it  is  to  be  underftood  of  eternal  Death. 
So  Deut.  xxx.  15.  See,  I  have  fet  before  thee  thisD ay, 
Life  and  Good,  and  Death  ahdEvil  Ver.19. 1  call  Hea- 
ven and  Earth  to  Record  this  Day  againfl  you,  that  1 
have  fet  before  you  Life  and  Death,  Blejjing  &  Curftng. 
TheLife  that  is  fpoken  of  hcre/is  doubtlefs  the  fame  that  is 
fpoken  of  inLev  .xviii.  5  .Ye  pal 7 therefore  keep  my  Statutes 
and  my  Judgments  ,zvhich  if  aMan  do,hef;all  live  in  them. 
This  the  Apoftle  understands  of  eternal  Life  ;  as  is 
plain. by Rora.  x.  5.  and  Gal,  iii.  12. — But  that  the  Death 
threatned  forSin  in  thoLzw  6£Mofes  meant  eternal  Death, 
is  whatDr.jT abundantly  declares.  So  in  his  Note  on  Rom. 
v.  20.  Such  a  Conftitution  the  Law  of  Mofes  was, 
fubjecling  thofe  who  were  under  it  to  Death  for 
every  Tranfgrejjion  ;  meaning  by  Death  ETERNAL 
"DEATH,     Thefe  are  his  Words.     The  like  he  aflerta 

in 


Ot  a?  i.  ~>    fpiritual  and  eternal  Death.    1 6  I 

Sect.  II.   3       * 

in  many  other  Places.  When  it  is  faid,  in  the  Place  now 
mentioned,  I  have  fet  before  thee  Life  &  Death,  Ble fling 
andCurfing,  without  doubt,  the  fame  Ble fling  and  Curfing 
is  meant  which  God  had  already  fet  before  them  with 
fuch  Solemnity,  in  the  27th  and  28th  Chapters;  where 
we  have  the  Sum  of  the  Curfes  in  thofe  lad  Words  of  the 
27  th  Chapter,  Curfed  is  every  one,  which  confirmeth  not 
all  the  Words  of  this  Law  to  do  them.  Which  the 
Ap'oflie  fpeaks  of  as  a  Threatning  of  eternal  Death  ;  and 
With  him  Dr.  T.  himfelf.*  In  this  Senfe  alfo  Job  and 
his  Friends,  fpake  of  Death,  as  the  Wages  and  End  of  Sin, 
who  lived  before  any  written  Revelation,  and  had  their 
Religion  and  their  Phrafeology  about  the  Things  of  Re- 
ligion from  the  Antients. 

If  any  mould  infill  upon  it  as  an  Objection  againft  fup- 
pofing  that  Death  was  intended  to  fignify  eternal  Death  in 
the  Threatning  to  Adam,  that  this  Ufe  of  the  Word  is 
figurative  :  tho'  thisfhould  be  allowed,yet  it  is  by  noMeans 
fo  figurative  as  many  other  Phrafes  ufed  in  the  Hiftory 
contained  in  thefe  three  Chapters  :  As  when  it  is  faid, 
God  f aid,  Let  there  be  Light  ;  God f aid,  Let  there  be 
a  Firmament,  &c  as  tho'  God  fpake  fuch  Words  with  a 
Voice.  So  when  it  is  laid,  God  called  the  Light,  Day  : 
God  called  the  Firmament,  Heaven,  Sec,  God  reded  on 
the  fevenih  Day  ;  as  tho'  he  had  been  weary,  and  then 
relied.  And  when  it  is  fold,  'They  heard  the  Voice  of: 
God  walking  ;  as  tho'  the  Deity  had  two  Feet,  and  took 
Steps  on  the  Ground.  Dr.  T.  fuppofes,  that  when  it  is 
faid  of  Adam  and  Eve,  Their  Eyes  were  opened,  and 
they  J aw  that  they  were  naked  ;  by  the  Word  naked,  is 
meant  a  State  of  Guilt.  (P.  12.)  Which  Senfe  of  th  \ 
Word,  naked,  is  much  further  from  the  common  Ufe  of 
the  Word,  than  the  fuppofed  Senfe  of  the  Word  Death. 
So  this  Author  fuppofes  the  Promife  concerning  the  Seed 

N  of 


Note  on  Rom.  v.  20.  In  his  Exp.  on  Rom.  P.  371,  373, 
374,  376.  There  in  P.  37  r,  he  fays  exprefly,  "  The  Law 
of  Mofes  fubje&ed  thofe  who  were  under  it  to  Death,  mean- 
ing by  Death,  eternal  Death," 


162    The  firji  Threatning  imply  d  Part  IL 

of  the  Woman's  bruifing  the  Serpen? s  Head,  while  the 
Serpent  fliould  bruife  his  Heel,  is  to  be  underftood  of  the 
Js/lejjlah\  deftroying  the  Power  and  Sovereignty  of  the 
'Devil,  &  receiving  fome  flight  Hurt  from  him.  (P.  15,1 6.) 
Which  makes  the  Sentence  full  of  Figures,  vaftly  more 
befide  the  common  Ufe  of  Words.  And  why  might  not 
God  deliver  Threatnings  to  our  firft  Parents  m  figurative 

Expreifions,  as  well  as  Promifes  ? Many  other  ftrong 

Figures  are  ufed  in  thefe  Chapters. 

But  indeed,  there  is  noNeceflity  of  fuppofag  iheWord 
"Death,  or  the  Hebrexv  Werd  fo  tranflated,  if  ufed  in  the 
Manner  that  has  been  fuppofed,  to  have  been  figurative  at 
all.  It  does  not  appear  but  that  this  Word/in  it's  true  and 
proper  Meaning,  might  fignify  perfectMifery,  and  fenfible 
iUeftrucYion  ;  tho'  the  Word  was  alfo  applied  to  fignify 
fomething  more  external  and  vifible.  There  are  many 
Words  in  our  Language,  fuch  as  Heart,  Senfe,  View,  Dif 
Covery,  Conception,  Light,  and  many  others,  which  are 
applied  to  fignify  external  Things,  as  that  mufcular  Part 
of  the  Body  called  Heart ;  external  Feeling  called  Senfe  ; 
the  Sight  of  the  bodily  Eye  called  View  ;  the  finding  of 
a  Thing  by  it's  being  uncovered,  called  Difcsvery  ;  the 
firfl  Beginning  of  the  Fcetus  in  ihe  Womb,  called  Con- 
ception ;  and  the  Rays  of  the  Sun,  called  Light  :  Yet 
thefe  Words  do  as  truly  and  properly  fignify  other  Things 
of  a  more  fpiritnal  internal  Nature,  as  thofe  :  Such  as  the 
Difpofition,  Affection,  Perception  &  Thought  of  theMind, 
and  Manifeftation  and  Evidence  to  the  Soul.  Common 
Ufe,  which  governs  the  Propriety  of  Language,  makes  the 
latter  Things  to  be  as  much  fignified  by  thofe  Words,  in 
their  proper  Meaning,  as  the  former.  'Tis  efpccially 
common  in  the  Hebrew,  and  I  fuppofe, other  oriental  Lan- 
guages, that  the  fame  Word  that  fignifies  fomething  exter- 
nal, docs  no  lefs  properly  and  ufually  fignify  fomething 
more  fpiritual.  So  the  Hebrezu  Words  ufed  for  Breath, 
have  fuch  a  double  Signification  ;  Nefbama  fignifies  both 
Breath,  and  the  Soul ;  and  the  latter  as  commonly  as  the 
former  :  Jxuach  is  ufed  for  Breath  or  Wind}  but  yet  more 

commonly 


Chap,  i  ?    Spiritual  and  eternal  Death.    161 

Sect.  II.  V       r  ° 

commonly  fignifies  Spirit.  Nephejb  is  ufed  for  Breath, 
but  yet  more  commonly  fignifies  Soul.  So  the  Word 
Lbh,  Hearty  no  lefs  properly  fignifies  the  Sou!,  efpecially 
with  Regard  to  the  Will  and  Affections,  than  that  Part  of 
the  Body  fo  called.  The  Word  Shalom,  which  we  render 
Peace,  no  lefs  properly  fignifies  Profperity  and  Happinefs, 
than  mutual  Agreement.  The  Word  tranflated,Z//>,  fig- 
nifies the  natural  Life  of  the  Body,  and  alfo  the  perfect 
and  happy  State  of  fenfible  active  Being ;  and  the  latter  as 
properly  as  the  former.  So  theWord,!D*0^fignifies  De- 
ftruction,  as  to  outward  Senftbility,  Activity  &  Enjoyment : 
But  it  has  moil  evidently  another  Signification,  which,  in 
the  Hebrew  Tongue,  is  no  lefs  proper,  viz.  perf eel,  fen- 
fible, hope  lefs  Ruin  and  Mifery. 

?Tis  therefore  wholly  without  Reafon  urged,that  Death 
properly  fignifies  only  the  Lofs  of  this  prefent  Life :  and 
that  therefore  Nothing  elfe  was  meant  by  thatDeath  which 
was  threatned  for  eating  the  forbidden  Fruit.  Nor  does 
it  at  all  appear  but  that  Adam,  who  from  what  God  faid 
concerning  the  Seed  of  the  Woman, that  was  fo  very  figu- 
rative, could  underftand,that  Relief  was  promifed,as  to  the 
Death  which  was  threatned  (as  Dr.  T'.  himfelf  fuppofes, 
P.  18.)  underftood  the  Death  that  was  threatned,  in  the 
more  important  Senfe  ;  efpecially  feeing  temporal  Death, 
as  it  is  originally,  and  in  itfelf,  and  is  evermore,  excepting 
as  changed  by  divine  Grace,  an  Introduction  or  Entrance 
into  that  gloomy  difmal  State  of  Mifery,  which  is  fliadow'd 
forth  by  the  dark  and  awful  Circumftances  of  this  Death, 
naturally  fuggelting  to  the  Mind  the  molt  dreadful  State 
of  hopeiefs,  fenfible  Ruin. 

As  to  that  Objection  which  fome  have  made,  that  the 
Phrafe,cDy/;zg-  then  Jhalt  die,  is  feveral  Times  ufed  in  the 
Books  of  Mofes  to  fignify  temporal  Death,it  can  be  of  no 
Force.  For  it  has  been  fliown  already, that  the  fame  Phrafe 
is  fometimes  ufed  in  Scripture  to  fignify  eternal  Death,  in 
Inltances  much  more  parallel  with  this.  But  indeed  No- 
thing can  be  certainly  argued  concerning  the  Nature  of 
the  Thing  intended,  from  it's  being  exprefled  in  fuch  a 

N  2  Marnier, 


164  Adam  dealt  with  Part  If. 

Manner.  For  'tis  evident,that  fuch  Repetitions  of  a  Word 
in  the  Hebrew  Language,  are  no  more  than  an  Emphafk 
upon  a  Word  in  the  more  modern  Languages,  to  fignify 
the  great  Degree  of  a  Thing,  the  Importance  of  it,  or  the 
Certainty  of  it,  &c.  When  we  would  fignify  and  imprefs 
thefe,  we  commonly  put  an  Emphafis  on  our  Words  :  In 
Stead  of  this,  the  Hebrezcs,  when  they  would  exprefs  a 
Thing  flrongly,  repeated  or  doubled  the  Word,  the  more 
to  imprefs  tjie  Mind  of  the  Hearer  ;  as  may  be  plain  to 
every  one  in  the  leaft  converfant  with  the  Hebrezu  Bible, 
The  Repetition  in  theThreatning  to  Adam,  therefore  only 
implies  the  Solemnity,  and  Importance  of  the  Threatning. 
But  God  may  denounce  either  eternal  or  temporal  Death 
with  Peremptorinefs  and  Solemnity,  and  Nothing  can  cer- 
tainly be  infer'd  concerning  the  Nature  of  the  Thing 
threatned,  becaufe  tis  threatned  with  Emphafis,  more  than 
this,  that  the  Threatning  is  much  to  be  regarded.  Tho' 
it  be  true,  that  it  might  in  an  efpecial  Manner  be  expected 
that  a  Threatning  of  eternal  Death,  would  be  denounced 
with  great  Emphafis,  fuch  a  Threatning  being  infinitely 
important,  and  to  be  regarded  above  all  others. 


Sect.     III. 

erein  it  is  enquired,  whether  there  he  any  thing  in 
the  Hi/lory  of  the  three  fir  ft  Chapters  of  Geuefis\ 
ivhich  Jhould  lead  us  tofiippofe,  that  God,  in  his 
Con  flit  uiion  with  Adam,  dealt  with  Mankind  in 
general,  as  included  in  their  firft  Father,  and 
that  the  Threatning  of  Death,  in  Cafe  he  Jhauld 
eat  the  forbidden  Fruit,  had  Refpect  not  only 
to  him,  but  his  Polterity  ? 

DR.  T.  rehearfing  that  Threatning  to  Adam,  Thou 
Jbalt  furely  die,  and  giving  us  his  Paraphrafe  of  if, 
P..  7,  8.  concludes  thus  ;  "  Obferve,  here  is  not  one  JVord 
\*  n  Ada?]?**  Pofterity."     But  it  may  be  obferved 

in 


CrfAp.i.  I         m  a  federal  Head.  165 

Sect.  III.  S 

in  Oppofition  to  this,  that  there  is  fcarcely  one  Word  that 
we  have  an  Account  of,  which  God  ever  faid  loAdam  or 
Eve,  but  what  does  manifeftly  include  their  Pofterity  in 
the  Meaning  and  Defign  of  it.  There  is  as  much  of  a 
Word  faid  about  ^darn's  Pofterity  in  that  Threatning,  as 
there  is  in  thofe  Words  of  God  to  Adam  and  Eve,  Gen. 
i.  28.  Be  fruitful,  and  multiply,  and  replenlfh  the  Earth, 
andfubdue  it  ;  and  as  much  in  Events,  to  lead  us  to  flip- 
pofe  Adam's  Pofterity  to  be  included.  TJiere  is  as  much 
of  a  Word  of  his  Pofterity  m  that  Threatning,  as  in  thofe 
Words,  f.  29.  Behold  J  have  given  you  every  Herb  bear- 
ing Seed and  every  Tree  in  which  is  the  Fruit  of  a 

Tree  yielding  Seed,  &c.     Even  when  God  was  about  to 
create  Adam,  what  he  faid  on  that  Occafion,had  not  Re- 
fpect  only  to  Adam,  but  to  his  Pofterity.  Gen.  i.  2  6.    Let 
us  make  Man  In  our  Image,  and  let  them  have  ^Dominion 
over  the  Fijh  of  the  Sea,  &c.     And,   what  is  more  re- 
markable, there  is  as  much  of  a  Word  faid  about  Adam's 
Pofterity  in  the  Threatning  of  Death,  as  there  is  in  that 
Sentence,    Gen.  iii.  19.   Unto    T>uft  Jhalt   thou  return. 
Which  Dr.  T.  himfelf  fuppofes   to  be  a  Sentence  pro- 
nounced for  the  Execution  of  that  very  Threatning,  Thou 
Jbaltfurely  die  :   A  nd  whichSentence  he  himfelf  alfo  often 
fpeaks  of    as  including  Adam's  Pofterity.     And^  what  is 
much  more  remarkable  ftiil,  is  a  Sentence   which  D.  T. 
himfelf  often  fpeaks   of,  as   including  his  Pofterity,  as  a 
SENTENCE  OF  CONDEMNATION,  as  a  JUDI- 
CIAL Sentence,  and  a  Sentence  which  God  pronounced 
withRegard  xoAdamh  POSTERITY,  ACTING  THE 
PART   OF  A  JUDGE,  and  as  fuch  condemning  them 
to  temporal  Death.      Tho'  he  is  therein  utterly  incon- 
fiftent   with  himfelf,  inafmuch  as  he  at  the  fame  Time  a- 
bundantly  infifts,   that  Death  is  not  brought  on  Adamz 
Pofterity,  in  Confequence  of  his  Sin,    at  all   as  a  Pumfli- 
ment  ;  but  meerly  by  the  gracious  Difpofal  of  a  Father, 
bellowing  a  Benefit  of  the  higheft  Nature  upon  them* 
0  But 


%  P-  Z°Z% 


1 66  Adam  dealt  with  Part  II. 

But  I  (hall  (hew  that  I  don't  in  any  of  thefe  Things 
falfely  charge,  or  mifreprefent  Dr.  T — He  fpeaks  of  the 
Sentence  in  Chap.iii.19.as  pronounced  in  Purfuance  of  the 
Threatning  in  the  former  Chapter,  in  thefe  Words,  P. 
17,18.  '*  TheSentence  upon  the  Man,  'f.  17,18,19.  firft 
11  affe&s  the  Earth,  upon  which  he  was  to  fubfift  :  The 
c<  Ground  (hould  be  incumbred  with  many  noxiousWeeds, 
"  and  the  Tillage  of  it  more  toilfom  :  Which  would  ob- 
Ci  lige  Man  to  procure  a  Suftenance  by  hard  Labour,  till 
ct  he  fhould  die,  and  drop  into  the  Ground,  from  whence 
"  he  was  taken.  Thus  Death  enter'd  by  Sin  into  the 
"  World,  and  Man  became  mortal,  ACCORDING  TO 
«  THE  THREATNING  IN  THE  FORMER 
"  CHAPTER."  Now,  if  Mankind  becomes  movtal,and 
muft  die, according  to  theThreatning  in  theformerChapter, 
then  doubtlefs  the  Threatning  in  the  former  Chapter, 
Thoujbalt  die,  had  Refpe£r.  not  only  to  Adam,  but  to 
Mankind,  and  included  Adam's  Pofterity.  Yea,  and  Dr. 
T.  is  exprefs  in  it,  and  very  often  fo,  that  the  *  Sentence 
concerning  dropping  into  the  Ground,  or  returning  to  the 
Dull,  did  include  Adam's  Pofterity0  So,P-  19,2.0.  (peak- 
ing there  of  that  Sentence,  "  Obferve  (fays  he)  that  we 
4i  their  Pofterity  are  in  Fac"b  fubje&ed  to  the  fame  Affiifti- 
"  on  &  Mortality  ,here  by  Sentence  inflicted  upon  our  fir(l 
"  Parents.— P  42.  But  yet  Men,  thro'  that  long  Traft, 
"  were  all  fubjecl:  to  Death,  therefore  they  muft  be  in- 
"  eluded  in  the  Sentence-"  The  fame  he  affirms  in  innu- 
merable other  Places,  fome  of  which  I  (hall  have  Occailon 
to  mention  prefentfy. 

The  Sentence  which  is  founded  on  the  Threatning,  and 
(as  Dr.  T.  fays)  according  to  the  Threatning,  extends  to 
as  many  as  were  included  in  the  Threatning,  and  to  no 
more.  If  the  Sentence  be  upon  a  collective  Subject,  in- 
finitely (as  it  were)  the  greateft  Part  of  which  were  not 
included  in  the  Threatning,  nor  were  ever  threatned  at  all 
by  any  Threatning  whatfoever,  then  certainly  this  Sen- 
tence is  not  according  to  the  Threatning,  nor  built  upon 
it.     If  the  Sentence  be  according  to  the  Threatning,  then 

we 


Chap  I  J  as  a  federal  Head.  167 

Sect.  111.  3  ' 

we  may  juftly  explain  the  Threatning  by  the  Sentence  ;■ 
And  if  we  find  the  Sentence  fpoken  to  the  fame  Perfon, 
to  whom  the  Threatning  was  fpoken,  and  fpoken  in  the 
iecond  Pcrfonfmgular,  in  likeManner  with  theThreatning, 
and  founded  on  the  Threatning,  and  according  to  the 
Threatning  j  and  if  we  find  the  Sentence  includes./&fa/»'s 
Pofterity  ;  then  we  may  certainly  infer,  that  fo  did  the 
Threatning  :  And  hence,  that  both  the  Threatning  and 
Sentence  were  deliver'd  toAdam  as  the  publick  Head  and 
Reprefentative  of  his  Pofterity. 

And  we  may  alfo  further  infer  from  it,in  anotherRefpcft 
directly  contrary  to  Dr.  T — r's  Doctrine,  that  the  Sen- 
tence which  included  Adanvs  Pofterity,  was  to  Death  as 
a  Punifhment  to  that  Pofterity,  as  well  as  to  Adam  him- 
felf.  For  a  Sentence  pronounced  in  Execution  of  a 
Threatning,  is  to  a  Puniihment.  Threatnings  are  of  Pun* 
ifhments.  Neither  God  nor  Man  are  wont  to  threaten 
others  with  Favours  and  Benefits. 

But  left  any  of  this  Author's  Admirers  fliould  ftand 
to  it,  that  it  may  very  properly  be  faid,  God  threatned 
Mankind  with  beft owing  great  Kindnefs  upon  them,  I 
would  obferve,  that  Dr.  T.  often  fpeaks  of  this  Sentence 
as  pronounced  by  God  on  all  Mankind  as  condemning 
them,  fpeaks  of  it  as  a  Sentence  of  Condemnation  judicially 
pronounced,  or  a  Sentence  which  God  pronounced  on  all 
Mankind  acling  as  their  Judge,  and  in  a  judicial  Pro- 
ceeding :  Which  he  affirms  in  Multitudes  of  Places.  In 
P.20.  fpeaking  of  this  Sentence,  which,he  there  fays,  fub- 
jects  us,  Adam's  and  Eve's  Pofterity,  to  Affliction  and 
Mortality,  he  calls  it  a  judicial  Act  of  Condemnation.' 
"  The  judicial  Acl  of  Condemnation  (fays  he)  clearly 
"  implies,  a  taking  him  to  Pieces,  and  turning  him  to  the 
"  Ground,  from  whence  he  was  taken."  And  P.  28,  29. 
te  In  all  the  Scripture,  from  one  End  to  the  other,  there 
"  is  recorded  but  one  Judgment  to  Condemnation,  which 
"  came  upon  all  Men,  and  that  is,  Gen.  iii.  17,  18,  19, 
"  T>ufl  thou  art,  &c."  P.  40.  fpeaking  of  the  fame,  he 
fays,  «  M  Mm  are  brought  under  Condemnation.'9    In 

P,27; 


1 6  8  Abfurdiiy  offtippofing  Adam  Part  II. 

?.  27,28.  "  By  Judgment,  Judgment  of  Condemnation,  it 
"  appeareth  evidently  torn©,  he  [_Paul~]  means  the  being 
u  adjudged  to  the  forementioned  Death ;  he  means  x\\eSen~ 
u  fence  of 'Death,  of  a  general  Mortality,  pronounced  upon 
u  Mankind, lnConfequencQ  of  Adam's  firftTranfgrefliQiij 
et  And  the  Condemnation  inflicted  by  the  Judgment  of 
"  God,  anfwereth  to,  and  is  in  EfTeft  the  fame  Thing 
*c  with,  being  dead."  P.  30.  "  The  many,  that  is  Man*- 
"  kind,  were  fubjedl  toDeath  by  the  judicial Act  of  God." 
P.  3  1.  "  Being  made  Sinners,  may  very  well  Ggnify,  being 

**  adjudged,  or  condemned  to  Death. For  the  Hebrew 

€i  Word,  Sec.  fignifies  to  make  one  a  Sinner  by  a  judicial 
iC  Sentence,  or  to  condemn" — Paraph,  on  Rom.  V.  19. 
in  his  Exp.  of  the  Epidle,  "  Upon-  the  Account  of  one 
*c  Man's  Difobedience,  Mankind  were  judicially  confti- 
"  tuted  Sinners  ;  that  is,  fuhjected  to  Death,  by  the  Sen- 
ct  fence  of  God  the  Judge."  And  there  are  many  other 
Places  where  he  repeats  the  fame  Thing.  And  'tis  pretty 
remarkable,  that  in  P.  48,  49.  immediately  after  citing 
Prov.  xvii.  15.  He  thai  jujlif.eth  the  Wicked,  and  he 
that  condemneth  the  Jufl,  are  both  an  .Abomination  to 
the  Lord  ;  And  when  be  is  careful  in  citing  thefe  Words, 
to  put  us  in  Mind,  that  it  is  meant  of  a  judicial  Acl ;  yet 
in  the  very  next  Words,  he  fuppofes  that  God  himfeif  does 
fo,fince  he  conflantly  fuppofes  that^^m'sPoiierity  whom 
God  condemns,  are  innocent.  Bis  Words  are  thefe, 
"  From  all  which  it  followeth,  that  the  Judgment,  that 
6i  pafled  upon  all  Men  to  Condemnation,  is  Death's  com- 
"  ing  upon  all  Men,  by  the  judicial  Act  of  God,  upon 
46  Occafion  of  Adarns  Tranfgrelfion."-^And  'tis  very 
remarkable,  that  in  P.  279,  280,  and  283  he  infills, 
*c  That  in  Scripture  no  Action  is  faid  to  be  imputed,  rec« 
"  kon'd  or  accounted  to  any  Perfon,  either  for  Righte* 
"  oufnefs  or  CONDEMNATION,  but  the  proper  Aft 
"  and  Deed  of  that  Perfon." — And  yet  he  thus  continu- 
ally affirms,  that  all  Mankind  are  made  Sinners  by  a  judi- 
cial Ac!  of  God  the  Judge, even  to  Condemnation^^  judi- 
cially conftituted  Sinners,   and  fo  fubjc&ed  to  a  judicial 

Sentence 


Sc^'iii  }         mt  a  ^era*  Mead.  169 

Sentence  of  Condemnation,  ottOccafion  of  Adam's  Sin  5 
and  all  according  to  the  Tbreatmng  denounced  to  Adam? 
Thou  f halt  fur ely  die  :  Tho'  he  fnppofes  Adam\  Po'te- 
rity  were  not  included  in  the  Threatning,  and  are  looked 
upon  as  perfectly  innocent,  and  treated  wholly  as  fuch 

I  am  fenfib!e,Dr. T".  don't  run  into  all  this  incontinence, 
only  thro'  Ovenight  and  Blundering ;  but  that  he  is  driven 
to  it,  to  make  out  hisMatters  in  his  Evafion  of  that  noted 
Paragraph  in  the  fifthChapter  of  Romans  ;  efpecially  thofe 
three  Sentences,  f.  1 6.  The  Judgment  was  by  one  to 
Condemnation,  f.  18.  By  the  Offence  of  one,  Judgment 
came  upon  all  Men  to  Condemnation,  and  /.  19  By  one 
Mans  T>lfobedlence  many  were  made  Shiners.  And  I  am 
alfo  fenfible  ofw]  la]        '     T  ^^nv^nience, 

viz.  "  T  at  if  the  Thteatning  had  immediatcl)  11  ex- 
"  ecuted  nAdam,  he  would  have  had  no  Pofterity  ;  and 
"  that  fo  far  the  poflible  Exigence  of  .Adam's  Pofterity 
"  fell  under  the  Threatning  of  the  Law,  and  into  the 
"  Hands  of  the  Judge,  to  be  difpofed  of  as  he  mould 
**  think  fit  :  And  that  this  is  the  Ground  of  the  Judg- 
cc  ment  to  Condemnation,  coming  upon  all  Men."*  But 
this  is  trifling,  to  a  great  Degree  :  For, 

1.  Suffering  Death,  and  failing  of  poflible  Exigence,  are 
entirely  different  Things.  If  there  had  never  been  any 
fuch  Thing  as  Sin  committed,  there  would  have  been  in- 
finiteNumbers  of  poflible  Beings,  which  would  have  fail'd 
of  Exifience,  by  God's  Appointment.  God  has  appointed 
not  to  bring  into  Exigence  numberlefs  poflibleWorlds,  each 
replenished  with  innumerable  poflible  Inhabitants.  But  is 
this  equivalent  to  God's  appointing  them  all  to  fuffer 
Death'? 

2.  OurAuthbr  reprefents,  that  by  Adam's  Sin  the  pojji* 
hie  Exlftence  of  his  Pofterity  fell  Into  the  Hands  of  the 
Judge,  to  be  difpofed  of  as  he  fhould  think  fit.  But  there 
was  no  Need  of  any  Sin  of  Adam's,  or  any  Body's  elfe, 
in  order  to  their  being  brought  into  God's  Hands  in  this 

O  Refpecl. 

*^^"i*^^a»"    ■■-     -■■■■   -■■!  .    uj.  ■ .■■■■  '         1  *■  I  1     ..    jl    ■  1      1    urn— «m mi 

*     P.      95.      366,      367, 


170  Abfurdity  offuppoftng  Adam  Part  II. 

Refpect.  The  future  poffible  Exigence  of  all  created  Be- 
ings is  inGod'sHands,  antecedently  to  theExiftence  of  any 
Sin.  And  therefore  by  God's  fovereign  Appointment,  in- 
finite Numbers  of  poffible  Beings,  without  any  Relation 
\oAdam1  or  any  other  finning  Being,  do  fail  of  their  pofli- 
ble Exiftence.  And  if  Adam  had  never  finned,  yet  it 
would  be  unreafonable  to  fuppofe,  but  that  innumerable 
of  his  poffible  I  ofterity,  would  have  fail'd  of  Exiftence 
by  God's  Difpofal.  For  will  any  be  fo  unreafonable  as  to 
imagine,  that  God  would  and  muft  have  brought  into  Ex- 
igence as  many  of  his  Pofterity  as  it  was  poffible  fhould 
be,  if  he  had  not  fin'd  ?  Or  that  in  that  Cafe,  it  would  not 
have  been  poffible,  any  other  Perfons  of  his  Pofterity 
fhould  ever  have  exifted,  than  thofe  individual  Perfons, 
who  now  actually  fall  under  that  Sentence  of  fuffering 
Death,  and  returning  to  the  Duft  ? 

3,  We  have  many  Accounts  in  Scripture,  which  imply 
the  actual  failing  of  the  poffible  Exiftence  of  innumerable 
Multitudes  of  Adams  Pofterity,  yea,  of  many  more  than 
ever  come  intoExiftence.  As,  of  the  poffible  Pofterity  of 
Abel,  the  poffible  Pofterity  of  all  them  that  were  deftroy'd 
by  the  Flood,  and  the  poffible  Pofterity  of  the  innumera- 
ble Multitudes,  which  we  read  of  in  Scripture,  deftroyed 
by  Sword,  Peftilence,  8cc.  And  if  the  Threatning  to 
Adam  reached  his  Pofterity,  in  no  other  refpecl  than  this, 
that  they  were  liable  to  be  deprived  by  it  of  their  poffible 
Exiftence,  then  thefe  Inftances  are  much  more  properly 
a  Fulfilment  of  that  Threatning,  than  the  fuffering  of 
Death  by  fuch  as  actually  come  into  Exiftence  ;  and  fo 
is  that  which  is  mod  properly  the  Judgment  to  Condem- 
nation, executed  by  the  Sentence  of  the  Judge,  proceeding 
on  the  Foot  of  that  Threatning.  But  where  do  we  ever 
find  this  fo  reprefented  in  Scripture  ?  We  read  of  Multi- 
tudes cut  off  for  their  perfonal  Sins,  who  thereby  faiPd  of 
their  poffible  Pofterity.  And  thefe  are  mentioned  as  God's 
Judgments  on  them,  and  Effects  of  God's  Condemnation 
of  them  :  but  when  are  they  ever  fpoken  of  as  God's  ju- 
dicially proceeding  againft,  and  condemning  their  poffible 
Pofterity  I  4.  Dr. 


Chap.  I.  ?  not  a  federal  Head.  171 

Sect. IF.  5 

4.  Dr.  T.  in  what  he  fays  concerning  this  Matter,  fpeaks 
of  the  Threatning  of  the  Law  delivered  to  Adam,  which 
the  poflibl-e  Exigence  of  his  Polierity  fell  under,  as  the 
Ground  cf  the  Judgment  to  Condemnation  corning  upon 
all  Men.  But  herein  he  is  exceeding  inconfiftent  with 
himfelf  :  For  he  affirms  in  a  Place  forecited,  that  the 
Scripture  never  fpeaks  of  any  Sentence  of  Condemnation 
coming  upon  all  Men,  but  that  Sentence  in  the  third  of 
Genejis,  concerning  Man's  turning  to  Duff.  But  accord- 
ing to  him,  theThreatningof  the  Law  delivered  to  Adam, 
could  not  be  the  Ground  of  that  Sentence  ;  for  he  greatly 
infills  upon  it,  that  that  Law  was  entirely  abrogated  before 
that  Sentence  was  pronounced,  that  this  Law  at  that  Time 
was  not  in  Being,  had  no  Exijlcnce  to  have  any  fuch  In- 
fluence, as  might  procure  a  Sentence  of  Death  ;  and  that 
therefore  this  Sentence  was  introduced  entirely  on  another 
Foot,  viz,  on  the  Foot  of  a  new  Difpenfation  of  Grace. 
The  Reader  may  fee  this  Matter  flrenuoufly  urged,  and 

particularly  argued  by  him,  P.389,- 396.   So  that  this 

Sentence  could  not,  according  to  him,  have  theThreatning 
of  that  Law  for  it's  Ground,  as  he  fuppofes  ;  for  it  never 
flood  upon  that  Ground.  It  could  not  be  called  a  Judg- 
ment of  Condemnation,  under  any  fuch  View  ;  for  it 
could  not  be  viewed  under  Circumfiances,  under  which  it 
never  exifled. 

5.  If  it  be  as  our  Author  fuppofes,  that  the  Sentence 
of  Death  on  all  Men  comes  under  the  Notion  of  a  Judg- 
ment toCondemnation  by  thisMeans,  viz.  that  the  Threat- 
ning ioAda?n  was  in  fome  refpeel:  the  Ground  of  it ;  then 
it  alfo  comes  under  the  Notion  of  a  Punifhment :  For 
Threatnings  annexed  to  Breaches  of  Laws,  are  to  Punifli- 
ments  ;  and  a  Judgment  of  Condemnation  to  the  Thing 
threatned,  muft  be  to  Punifhment  ;  and  the  Thing  con- 
demned to,  muft  have  as  much  the  Notion  of  a  Punifh- 
ment, as  the  Sentence  has  the  Notion  of  a  Judgment  to 
Condemnation*  But  thisDr.  T>  wholly  denies  :  he  denies 
that  the  Death  fentenced  to,  comes  as  any  Punifhment  at 
all  j  but  infills  that  it  comes  only  as  a  Favour  &  Benefit, 

O  2  and 


172  Adam  mojl  evidently         Part  II. 

and  a  Fruit  of  fatherly  Love  toAdamh  Pofterity,  refpecl:- 
ed  not  as  guilty,but  wholly  innocent.  So  that  his  Scheme 
will  not  admit  of  it's  coming  under  the  Notion  of  a  Sen- 
tence to  Condemnation  in  any  Refpecl:  whatfoever.  Our 
Author's  Suppofition,that  thepoiTible  Exigence  of  Adam's 
Pofterity  comes  under  the  Threatning  of  the  Law,  and 
into  the  Hands  of  the  Judge,  and  is  the  Ground  of  the 
Condemnation  of  all  Men  to  Death,  implies,  that  Death 
by  this  Sentence  is  appointed  to  Mankind  as  an  Evil,  at 
leaft,  negatively  fo  ;  as  it  is  a  Privation  of  Good  :  for.  he 
roanifeftly  fpeaks  of  a  Non-exiftence  as  a  negative  Evil. 
But  herein -he  is  inconfutent  with  himfelf  :  for  he  conti- 
nually infills,  that  Mankind  are  fubjected  to  Death  only  as 
a  Benefit,  as  has  been  before  fhewn.  According  to  him, 
Death  is  not  appointed  to  Mankind  as  a  negative  Evil,  as 
any  CeiTation  of  Exigence,  #s  any  CefTation  or  even  Di- 
minution of  Good  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  as  a  Means  of  a 
Xtiore  happy  Exiflence,  and  a  great  Increafe  of  Good. 

So  that  this  Evafion,  or  Salvo  of  Dr.  T* — r's  is  fo  far 
from  helping  the  Matter,  or  faiv'mg  the  Inconullence, 
that  it  increafes  and  multiplies  it. 

And  that  the  Conftiiution  or  Law,  with  the  Threatning 
of  Death  annexed  which  was  given  to  Adam,  was  to  him 
as  the  Head  of  Mankind,  and  to  his  Pofterity  as  included 
in  him,  not  only  follows  from  fome  of  our  Author's  own 
AfTertions,  and  the  plain  and  full  Declarations  of  the  A- 
poftle  in  the  fifth  of  Romans  (of  which  more  afterwards) 
which  drove  Dr.  T.  into  fuch  grofs  Inconfatencies.  But 
the  Account  given  in  the  three  firft  Chapters  of  Genejis, 
directly  and  inevitably  lead  us  to  fuch  a  Conclufion. 

Tho'  the  Sentence,  Gen.  iii.  19,  —  Unto  T>ufl  thou 
fialt  return,  be  not  of  equalExtent  with  theThreatning  in 
the  foregoing  Chapter,  or  an  Execution  of  the  main  Curfe 
of  the  Lav/  therein  denounced  ;  for,  that  it  fhould  have 
been  fo,  would  have  been  inconfiflent  with  the  Intimati- 
ons of  Mercy  juft  before  given  :  yet  tis  plain,this  Sentence 
is  in  Purfuance  of  that  Threatning,  being  to  fomething 
that  was  included  in  it.     TheWords  of  the  Sentence  were 

delivered 


?HAP;rH  #  federal  Head.  173 

Sect. III.  5  *° 

delivered  to  the  fame  Perfon,  with  the  Words  of  the 
Threatning,and  in  the  fameManner,inlike  fingular  Terms, 
as  much  without  any  exprefs  Mention  of  his  Pofterity  : 
And  yet  it  manifeftly  appears  by  the  Confequence,as  well 
as  all  Circumftances,  that  his  Pofterity  were  included  in 
the  Words  of  the  Sentence  ;  as  is  confefs'd  on  all  Hands, 
And  as  the  Words  were  apparently  deliver'd  in  the  Form 
of  the  Sentence  of  a  Judge,  condemning  for  fomething 
that  he  was  difpleafed  with,  and  ought  to  be  condemned, 
?72r.  Sin  ;  and  as  the  Sentence  to  him  &  hisPofterity  was  but 
6ne,  dooming  to  the  lame  Suffering,  under  the  fame  Cir- 
cumftances,  both  the  one  and  the  other  fentenced  in  the 
fame  Words,  fpoken  but  once,  and  immediately  to  but  one 
Perfon,  we  hence  juftly  infer,  that  it  was  the  fame  Thing 
to  both  ;  and  not  as  Dr.  T.  fuggefts,  (R  67.)  a  Sentence 
to  a  proper  Punifhrnent  to  Adam,  but  a  meer  Promife  of 
Favour  to  his  Pofterity. 

Indeed,  fometimes  our  Author  feems  to  fuppofe,  that 
God  meant  the  Thing  denounced  in  this  Sentence,  as  a 
Favour  both  to  Adam  and  his  Pofterity.  *  But  to  his 
Pofterity,  cr  Mankind  in  general,  who  are  the  main  Sub- 
je£,  he  ever  infills,  that  it  was  purely  intended  as  a  Favour, 
And  therefore,  one  would  have  thought,  the  Sentence 
ifiould  have  been  delivered,  with  Manifeftations  and  Ap- 
pearances of  Favour,  and  not  of  Anger.  How  could 
Adam  underftand  it  as  a  Promife  of  great  Favour,  conn"- 
dering  the  Manner  and  Circumftances  of  the  Denunciati- 
on ?  How  could  he  think,  that  God  would  go  about  to 
delude  him,  bycloathing  bimfelf  with  Garments  of  Ven- 
geance, ufing  V/ords  of  Difpleafure  and  Rebuke,  fetting 
forth  the  Heinoufnefs  of  his  Crime,  attended  with  Che- 
rubims  and  a  flaming  Sword  ;  when  all  that  he  meant  was 
only  higher  Teftimonies  of  Favour  than  he  had  before  in 
a  State  of  Innocence,  and  to  manifeft  fatherly  Love  and 
Kindnefs,  in  Promifes  of  great  Bleflings  ?  If  this  was  the 
Cafe,  God's  Words  to  Adam  mult  be  underftood  thus  *■ 

*  Becaufs 


P.  301,  32r5 


1 74  Adam  mojl  evidIy  federalHead.  Part  II. 

'  Becaufe  thou  had  done  fo  wickedly,  haft  hearken'd  unto 
'  the  Voice  of  thy  Wife,  and  haft  eaten  of  the  Tree  of 
'  which  I  commanded  thee,  faying,  Thou  (halt  not  eat  of 
*  it  ;  therefore  I  will  be  more  kind  to  thee  than  I  was  in 
4  thy  State  of  Innocence,  and  do  now  appoint  for  thee 
4  the  following  great  Favours  :  Curfed  be  the  Ground  for 
4  thy  fake,  &c.'  And  thus  Adam  muft  underfland  what 
was  faid  ;  unlefs  any  will  fay  (and  God  forbid  that  any 
fliould  be  fo  blafphemous)  that  God  cloathed  himfelf  with 
Appearances  of  Difpleafure,  to  deceive  Adam,  and  make 
him  believe  the  contrary  of  what  he  intended,  and  lead 
him  to  expect  a  difmal  Train  of  Evils  on  hisPofterity,  con- 
trary to  all  Reafon  and  Juftice,  implying  the  mod  horribly 
unrighteous  Treatment  of  Millions  of  perfectly  innocent 
Creatures  !  5Tis  certain,  there  is  not  the  leaftAppearance 
in  what  God  faid,  or  the  Manner  of  it,  as  Mofes  gives  us 
the  Account,  of  any  other,  than  that  God  was  now  tefti- 
fying  Difpleafure,  condemning  the  Subject  of  the  Sentence 
he  was  pronouncing,  as  juftly  expofed  to  Panifhment  for 
Sin,  and  for  that  Sin  which  he  mentions. 

When  God  was  pronouncing  this  Sentence,  Adam 
doubtlefs  underftood,  that  God  had  Refpect  to  hisPofterity, 
as  well  as  Himfelf  ;  tho'  God  fpake  wholly  in  the  fecond 
Perfon  fingular,  Becaufe  thou  haft  eaten, — ; — In  Sorrow 

flmlt  thou  eat, Unto  theT>uft  flmlt  thou  return.     But 

he  had  as  much  Reafon  to  underfland  God  as  having  Re- 
fpect  to  his  Pofterity,  when  he  directed  his  Speech  to  him 
in  like  Manner  in  the  Threatning,  Thou  flmlt  fur ely  die* 
The  Sentence  plainly  refers  to  the  Threatning,  and  refults 
from  it.  The  Threatning  fays,  If  thou  eat,  thou  fhalt 
die  ?  The  Sentence  fays,  Becaufe  thou  haft  eaten,  thou 
flmlt  die.  And  Mofes,  who  wrote  the  Account,  had  no 
Reafon  to  doubt  but  that  the  Affair  would  be  thus  under- 
ftood by  his  Readers  ;  for  fuch  a  Way  of  fpeaking  was 
well  underftood  in  thofe  Days  :  The  Hiftory  he  gives  us 
of  the  Origin  of  Things,  abounds  with  it.  Such  a  Man- 
ner of  fpeaking  to  the  firft  of  the  Kind,  or  Heads  of  the 
Race,  having  Refpect  to  the  Progeny,  is  not  only  ufed  in 

almoft 


Chap  l    |  Qf  tfc  Curie  on  the  Ground.  1 7 1 

Sect.  III.  $       '  '  -> 

almoft  every  thing  that  God  faid  to  Adam  and  Eve,  but 
even  in  what  he  faid  to  the  very  Birds  and  Fijhes,  Gen. 
i.  2  2.  And  alfo  in  what  he  faid  afterwards  to  Noah,  Gen, 
ix.  and  to  Shem,  Ham  and  Japheth,  and  Canaan,  Gen. 
ix.  25,  26,  2  j.  So  in  Promifes  made  to  Abraham,  in 
which  God  directed  his  Speech  to  him,  and  fpake  in  he 
fecond  Perfon  Angular,  from  Time  to  Time,  but  meant 
chiefly  his  Pofterity  :  To  thee  will  I  give  this  Land.  In 
thee  jb all  all  the  Families  of  the  Earth  be  blejfed,8cc.8cc. 
And  in  what  is  faid  of  Ifhmael,  as  of  his  Perfon,  but  meant 
chiefly  of  his  Pofterity,  Gen.  vi.  12.  and  xvii.  20.  And 
fo  in  what  Ifaac  faid  to  Efau  and  Jacob,  in  his  Blefling  ; 
in  which  he  fpake  to  them  in  the  fecond  Perfon  fingular ; 
but  meant  chiefly  their  Pofterity.  And  fo  for  the  moft 
Part  in  the  Promifes  made  to  Ifaac  and  Jacob  ;  and  in 
Jacob's  Blefling  of  Ephraim  and  Manaffeh,  and  of  his 
twelve  Sons. 

But  1  fhall  take  Notice  of  one  or  two  Things  further 
fhewing  that  Ada?n\  Pofterity  were  included  in  God's  E- 
ftabhfhment  with  him,  and  the  Threatning  denounced  for 
his  Sin ;  and  that  the  Calamities  which  come  upon  them  in 
Confequence  of  his  Sin,  are  brought  on  them  as  Punidi- 
ments. 

This  is  evident  from  the  Curfe  on  the  Ground  ;  which 
if  it  be  any  Curfe  at  all,  comes  equally  on^^az/rsPofterity 
with  himfelf.  And  if  it  be  a  Curfe,  then  againft  whom- 
foever  it  is  defigned,  and  on  whomfoever  it  terminates,  it 
comes  as  a  Punifhment,  and  not  as  a  Blefling,  fo  far  as  it 
comes  in  Confequence  of  that  Sentence. 

Dr.  T.(P.i^.)  fays,  "  A  Curfe  is  pronounced  upon  the 
"  Ground,  but  no  Curfe  upon  the  Woman  and  the  Man." 
And  in  P.  321,  322.  He  in(ifts,that  the  Ground  only  was 
curfed,  and  not  the  Man :  Juft  as  tho*  a  Curfe  could  ter- 
minate on  lifelefs,  fenfelefs  Earth  !  To  underftand  this 
Curfe  otherwife  than  as  terminating  upon  Man,  thro'  the 
Ground,  would  be  as  fenfelefs  as  to  fuppofe  the  Meaning 
to  be,  The  Ground  (hall  be  -punlfbed,  and  Jhall  be  mifera* 
bU  for  thy  fake,     Our  Author  interprets  the  Curfe  on  the 

Ground, 


176  Of  the  Curfe  on  the  Ground.   Part  If6 

Ground,  of  it's  being   incumbred  with   noxious  Weeds  : 
But  would  thefe  Weeds  have  been   any  Curfe  on  the 
Ground,  if  there  had  been  no  Inhabitants,  or  if  the  Inha- 
bitants had  been  of  fuch  a  Nature,  that  thefe  Weeds  fliould 
not  have  been  noxious,  but  ufeful  to  'em  ?  It  is  faid,  Denr. 
xxviii.  1 7 .   Curfed  flmll  be  thy  BaJJiet  and  thy  Store  :  And 
would  he  not  be   thought  to  talk  very  ridiculously,  who 
fhould  fay,  'Here  is  a  Curfe  upon  the  Bafket  ;  but  not  a 
Word  of  any  Curfe  upon  the  Owner  s     And  therefore  we 
have  no  Reafon  at  all  to  look  upon  it  as  any  Punifhment 
upon  him,  or  any  Teftimony  of  God's  Difpleafure  towards 
him  !'      How  plain  is  it,  that  when  lifelefsThings,  which 
are  not  capable  of  either  Benefit  or  Suffering,  are  faid  to 
be  curfed  or  blefled  with  regard  to  fenfible  Beings,  that 
ufe  or  poffefs  thefe  Things,  or  have  Connection  with  them, 
the  Meaning  muft  be,  that  thefe  fenfible  Beings  are  curfed 
or  blefled  in  the  other,  or  with  refpecl  to  them  ?,  In  Exod, 
xxiii.  25.  'tis  faid,  He  Jlmll  blefs  thy  Bread  &  thy  Water. 
And  I  fuppofe,  never  any  Body  yet  proceeded    to  fuch  a 
Degreeof  Subtilty  in  diflinguifhing,  as  to  fay,   '  Here  is  a 
Bleffing  on  the  Bread  and  the  Water,  which  went  into  the 
Poffeflbrs  Mouths,  but  no  Bl effing  on  them.'     To  make 
fuch  a  DiftincYion  with  regard  to  the  Curfe  God  pronoune'd 
on  the  Ground,  would  in  fome  Refpe&s  be  more  unrea- 
fonable,  becaufe  God  is  exprefs  in  explaining  the  Matter, 
declaring  that  it  was  for  Man's  fake,  exprefly  referring  this 
Curfe  to  him,  as   being  with  Refpect  to  him,  and  for  the 
Sake  of  his  Guilt ;  and  as  confirming  in  the  Sorrow  &  Suf - 
fering  he  fhould  have  from  it  :  In  Sorrow  fhalt  THOU 

eat  of  it Thorns  &  Thiflles  flo all  it  bring  forth  TO 

THEE.  So  that  God's  own  Words  tell  us.  where  the 
Curfe  terminates.  The  Words  are  parallel  with  thofe  in 
T)eut.  xxviii.  16,  but  only  more  plain  &  explicit,  Curfed 
fhalt  THOU  be  in  the  Field,  or  in  the  Ground. 

If  this  Part  of  the  Sentence  was  pronounced  under  no 
Notion  of  any  Curfe  or  Punifhment  at  all  upon  Mankind, 
but  on  the  contrary,as  making  anAltcration  in  the  Ground, 
that  fliould  be  for  the  better,  as  to  them  ;   that  in  Stead 

of 


fHAP'ni  ?         Of  Eves  ?ww  Name.         177 

of  the  Cwcct,  but  tempting,  pernicious  Fruits  of  Paradife, 
it  might  produce  wholfome  Fruits,  more  for  the  Health 
of  the  Soul  ;  that  it  might  bring  forth  Thorns  &  Thirties, 
as  excellent  Medicines,  to  prevent  or  cure  mortal  Diftem- 
pers,  Difeafes  which  would  iluie  in  eternal  Death  ;  I  fay, 
if  what  was  pronounced  was  under  this  Notion,  then  it 
was  a  Bleffing  on  the- Ground,  and  not  a  Curfe  ;  and  it 
might  more  properly  have  been  faid,  '  BLESSED  Jhall 
theGrcund  be  for  thy  fake, — I  will  make  a  happy  hange 
in  it,  that  it  may  be  a  Habitation  more  fit  for  a  Creature 
fo  infirm,  and  fo  apt  to  be  overcome  with  Temptation,  as 
thou  art.' 

The  Event  makes  it  evident,  that  in  pronouncing  this 
Curfe,  God  had  as  much  Refpecl:  to  Adam\  Pofterity,  as 
to  himfelf :  And  fo  it  was  underrtood  by  his  pious  Pofte- 
rity, before  the  Flood  ;  as  appears  by  what  Lantech,  the 
Father  of  Noah,  fays,  Gen.  v.  29.  And  he  called  his 
Name  No^h  ;  fayi ng,T his  fame  fhal I  comfort  us  concern- 
ing  our  ffifork,  and  the  Toil  of  our  Hands,  "  becaufe  of 
the  Ground  which  the  Lord  hath  curfed." 

Another  Thing  which  argues,  that  Ada?rCs  Pofterity 
were  included  in  the  Threatning  of  Death,  and  that  our 
firft  Parents  underrtood,  when  fallen,  that  the  Tempter, 
in  perfwading  them  to  eat  the  forbidden  Fruit,  had  aimed 
at  the  Punifhment  and  Ruin  of  both  them  and  their  Pofte- 
rity, &  had  procured  it,  is  Adam\  immediately  giving  his 
Wife  that  new  Name,  Eve,  or  Life,  on  the  Promife  or 
Intimation  of  the  Difappointment  and  Overthrow  of  the 
Tempter  in  that  Matter,  by  her  Seed  ;  which  Adam.wa* 
derftood  to  be  by  his  procuring  Life  ;  not  only  for  them- 
felves,  but  for  many  of  their  Porterity,  and  thereby  deli- 
vering them  from  that  Death  and  Ruin  which  the  Serpent 
had  brought  upon  them.  Thofe  that  fhould  be  thus  deli- 
vered, and  obtain  Life,  Adam  calls  the  Living  .*  and  be- 
caufe he  obferved,by  what  God  had  faid,  that  Deliverance 
and  Life  was  to  be  by  the  Seed  of  the  Woman,  he  there- 
fore remarks,  that/^  is  the  Mother  of  all  Living,  and 
thereupon  gives  her  a  newName,  calls  ha;Chavah,LiFE, 
Gen,  in,' 20,  P  There 


178    Eve's  new  Name>  anArg1-  of  Part  II. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  Evidence,  that  this  is  the  Oc- 
cafion  of  Adam  s  giving  his  Wife  her  new  Name.     This 
was  her  newHonour,  &  the  greatedHonour,  at  lead  in  her 
prefentState,that  theRedeemer  was  tobe  of  herSeed.  New 
Names  were  wont  to  be  given  for  fomething  that  was  the 
Perfon  s  peculiarHonour.  So  it  was  with  regard  to  the  new 
Names  o{'Abraham,Sarah^ndIfrael.    Dr.T.  himfelf(A>y 
§•  2550  obferves,  that  they  who  are  faved  by  Chrid,  are 
called  the  Livers,  hi    tyvtK  (1  Cor.iv.i  1 .)    The  living,  or, 
ibev  that  live.     So  we  find  in  the    old  Tedament,  the 
Righteous  are  called  by  the  name  of  theLivhig.  Pfal   lxix. 
28,  Let  them  be  blotted  out  of  the  Book  of  the  Livings  J 
not  be  written  with  the  Righteous.     If "what  Adam  meant 
by  her  being  the  Mother  of  all  Living,  was  only  her 
being  the  Mother  of  Mankind,   and    gave'her  the  Name 
Life  upon  that  Account,  it  were  much  the  mod  likely 
that  he  would  have  given  her  this  Name  at  firft  ;  when 
God  fird  united   them,  under    that  BiefTmg,    Be  fruitful 
and   multiply,    and   when   he  had   a    ProfpecT:     of  her 
being  the  Mother  of  Mankind  in  a  State  of  Immorta- 
lity, living  indeed,  living  and  never  dying.    But  that  A- 
dam  fhould  at  thatTime  give  her  only  the  Name  of  Ifta, 
and  then  immediately  on  that  melancholy  Change,by  their 
coming  under  the  Sentence  of  Death,wtth  all  their  Potle- 
rity,    having  now  a  new  awful  Profpecl:  of  her  being  the 
Mother  of  Nothing  but  a  dying  Race, all  from  Generation 
to  Generation  turning  to  Dud, thro'  her  Folly  :  I  fay, that 
immediately  on  this,  he  fnould  change  her  Name  mtoLife, 
calling  her  now  the  Mother  of  all  living,  is  perfectly  un- 
accountable.    Befides,  it  is  manifed,  that  it  was  not  her 
being  the  Mother  of  all  Mankind,   or  her  Relation  as  a 
Mother,  which  die  dood  in  to  her  Poderity,but  tYieQiia- 
lity  of  thofe  die  was  to  be  the  Mother  of,   which  was  the 
Thing  Adam  had  in  View,   in  giving  his  Wife  this  new 
Name  ;  as  appears  by  the  Name  it  felf,    which  flgnifies 
Life.     And  if  it  had  been  only  a  natural  and  mortal  Life 
which  he  had  in  Yiew;  this  was  Nothing  didinguidiing  of 

her 


Chap.  I?  tfje  Threat*  include  Pofterity.  170 

Sect. III.  S  '  * 

her  Pofterity  from  the  Brutes  ;  for  the  very  fame  Name 
of  living  ones,  or  living  Things,  is  given  from  Time  to 
Time  in  this  Book  of  Genefis  to  them  :    As  in  Chap.  i. 
21,24,28.  Chap.  ii.  19.  Chap.  vi.  19. — vii.23.  &  viii.i. 
and  many  other  Places  in  the  Bible.  —  Andbefides,  if  by 
Life  was  not  theQuality  of  herPofterity  meant,  there  was 
nothing  in  it  to  diltinguiili  her  from  Adam  ;  for  thus  Hie 
was  no  more  the  Mother  of  all  living,  than  he  was  the  Fa- 
ther of  all  living  ;  and  (lie  could  no  more  properly  be 
called  by  theNatne  of  Life  on  any  fuchAccount,  than  he: 
But  Names  are  given  for  Diitinction.     Doubtlefs  Adam 
took  Notice   of  fomething  diilinguifliing  concerning  her, 
that  occafioned   his  giving  her  this  new  Name.     And  I 
think,  it  is  exceeding  natural  to  fuppofe,that  as  Adam  had 
given  her  her  firft  Name  from  the  Manner  of  her  Creation, 
fo  he  gave    her '  her   new  Name  from  Redemption}  and 
as  it  were  new  Creation,  thro'  a  Redeemer,  of  her  Seed. 
And  that  he  fhould  give  her  this  Name  from  -that  which 
comforted  him,    with  refpect  to  the  Curfe  that  God  had 
pronounced  on  him  and  tbeEarth,as Lamech  named  Noah, 
(Gen.  v.  29.)  Saying, This  fame  fball  comfort  us  concern- 
ing our  Work }  and  Toil  of  our   Hands ,    becaufe  of  the 
Ground  which  the  Lord  hath  cwfed.     Accordingly,   he 
gave  her  this  new  Name,  not  at  her  firft  Creation,but  im- 
mediately after  the  Promife  of  a  Redeemer,  of  her  Seed, 
See  Gen.  iii.  15, — 20. 

Now  as  to  the  Confequcnce  which  I  infer  from  Adam's 
giving  his  Wife  this  Name,  on  the  Intimation  which  God 
had  given,  that  Satan  fhould  by  her  Seed  be  overthrown 
and  difappointed,  as  to  his  malicious  Defign,  in  that  Deed 
of  his  which  God  then  fpake  of,  viz.  his  tempting  theWo- 
man;  Adam  infers  from  it,  that  great  Numbers  of  Man- 
kind mould  be  faved,whomhe  calls  the  Living ;  they  fhould 
be  faved  from  the  Effects  of  this  malicious  Defign  of  the 
old  Serpent,  and  from  that  Ruin  which  he  had  brought: 
upon  them  by  tempting  their  firft  Parents  to  Sin ;  and  fo 
the  Serpent  would  be,  win  refpecl:  to  them,  difappointed 
and  overthrown  in  his  Defign.     But  how  is  any  Death  or 

P   2  Ruin, 


1 8o  Objection,  thai  Man  was  to  die  Part  II. 

Ruin,  or  indeed  any  Calamity  at  all  brought  upon  their 
Posterity  by  Satan's  Malice  in  that  Temptation,  if  inflead 
of  that,  all  the  Death  and  Sorrow  that  was  confequent,was 
the  Fruit  of  God's  fatherly  Love,  &  not  Satan's  Malice, 
and  was  an  Inflance  of  God's  free  and  fovereign  Favour, 
fuch  Favour  as  Satan  could  not  poiTibly  forefee  ?  And 
j£  Multitudes  of  Eve's  Pofterity  are  faved,  from  either 
fpirituai  or  temporal  Death,  by  a  Redeemer,  of  her  Seed, 
how  is  that  any  Difappointment  of  Satan's  Defign,  in 
tempting  our  flrit  Parents  ?  How  came  he  to  have  any 
fuch  Thing  in  View,  as  the  Death  of  Adam's  and  Eve's 
Pofterity,  by  tempting  them  to  Sin,  or  any  Expectation  that 
their  Death  would  be  the  Confequence,  unlefs  he  knew 
that  they  were  included  in  the  Threatning  ? 

Some  have  objected  againft  Adam's  Pofterity's  being 
included  in  the  Threatning  delivered  to  Adam,  that  the 
Threatning  itfelf  was  inconfiflent  with  his  having  any 
Pofterity  :  It  being  that  he  fliould  die  en  the  'Day  that 
he  finned. 

To  this  I  anfwer,  that  the  Threatning  was  not  ineon- 
fiflent  with  his  having  Poftenty,  on  two  Accounts  : 

I.  Thofe  Words,  In  the  T>ay  thou  eattfl  thereof  thou 
fbalt  furely  die,  according  to  the  Ufe  of  fuch- like  Ex- 
preffions  among  the  Hebrews,  don't  (ignify  immediate 
Death,  or  that  the  Execution  fhall  be  within  twenty-four 
Hours  from  the  Commiffion  of  the  FacT:  ;  nor  did  God  by 
thofe  Words,  limit  himfelf  as  to  the  Time  of  executing 
the  threaten'dPunifhment  ;  bat  that  was  dill  left  toGod's 
Pleafure.  Such  a  Phrafe,  according  to  the  Idiom  of  the 
Hebrew  Tongue,  figrjifies  no  more  than  thefe  two  Things  : 

I.  A  real  Connection  between  the  Sin  and  the  Punifli- 
ment.  So  Ezek.  xxxiii.  12,  13.  The  Righteoufnefs  of 
the  Righteous  J; all  not  deliver  him  IN  ^THE  T>AT 
of  his  Tranfgreffion.  As  for  the  JVickednefs  of  the 
Wicked,  He  fhail  not  fall  thereby  IN  THE  T)  AT  that 
he  tumeth  from  his  JVickednefs  :  Neither  fball the 'Righ- 
teous be  able  to  live  IN  THE  T>AT  THAT  HE 
SINNETH:  But  for  his  Iniquity  that  he  hath  com* 

7iiiitedi 


£HAP-  {•  l   in  the  Day  he  fin*d,  anfwered.  1 8  i 

Sect .IIL  )  J  J 

mhted,  HE  SHALL  'DIE  for  it.  Here  tis  faid,  that 
in  the  Day  he  finneth,  he  fhall  not  be  able  to  live, 
but  he  fhall  die  ;  not  fignifying  the  Time  when  Death 
fliall.be  executed  upon  him,  but  the  Connexion  between 
his  Sin  &  Death  ;  fuch  aConnecYion  as  in  our  prefent  com- 
mon Uie  of  Language  is  fignified  by  the  Adverb  of  Time, 
When  ;  As  if  One  fhould  Yay,  "  According  to  the  Laws 
<cof  our  Nation,  fo  long  as  a  Man  behaves  Himfelf  as  a 
,rgood  Subject,  he  may  live  ;  but  When  he  turns  Rebel, 
"  he  mull  die"  :  Not  fignifying  theHour,  Day  orMonth, 
in  which  he  muft  be  executed,  but  only  the  Connection 
between  his  Crime  and  Death. 

2.  Another  Thing  which  feems  to  be  fignified  by  fuch 
an  Expreflion,  is,  that  Adam  fliould  be  expofed  toDeath 
for  one  Tranfgrejjion,  without  waiting  on  him  to  try  him 
the  fecond  Time.  If  he  eat  of  that  Tree,  be  fhould  im- 
mediately fall  under  Condemnation,  tho'  afterwards  he 
might  abflain  ever  fo  flriclly.  In  this  Refpecl,  theWords 
are  much  of  the  fame  Force  with  thofe  Words  of  Solomon 
to  -Shimei,  i  Kings  ii.  37.  For  it  Jhallbe  that  ON  THE 
DAY  that  thougoeft  out,  and  faffs  ft  over  the  Brook  Ki- 
dron,  thou  fbalt  knozv  for  il  certain,  that  thou  fhalt 
furely  die  "  Not  meaning,that  he  fliould  certainly  be  exe- 
cuted on  that  Day,  but  that  he  fhould  be  afliiredly  liable 
to  Death  for  the  rirft  Offence,  and  that  he  fhouldnot  have 
another  Trial,  to  fee  whether  he  w  on  id  go  over  the 
Brook  Kidron  a  fecond  Time. 
And  then  befides, 

II.  If  the  Words  had  implied,  that  Adam  fhould  die 
that  very  Day,  within  24  or  12  Hours,  or  that  Moment 
that  he  tranfgrefs'd,  yet  it  will  by  no  Means  follow,  that 
God  obliged  himfelf  to  execute  the  Punifhment  in  its  ut- 
1110ft  Extent  on  that  Day.  The  Sentence  was  in  great 
Part  executed  immediately  ;  he  then  died  fpiritually ;  he 
loft  his  Innocence  and  original  Righteoufnefs,  and  the  Fa- 
vour of  God  ;  A  difmal  Alteration  was  made  in  his  Soul, 
by  thcLofs  of  that  holy  divinePrinciple,  which  was  in  the 
iiieheft  Senfe  the  Lift  of  the  Soul.     In  this  he  was  truly 

rulu^ 


382  Natures/ ? theJhreat^-  noObfn-  PartIL 

ruin'd  and  undone  that  very  Day ;  becoming  corrupt,  mi- 
ferable  and  helplefs.     And  I  think  it  has  been  fhown,that 
fuch  a  fpiritual  Death  was  one  great  Thing  implied  in  the 
Threatning. — And  the  Alteration  then  made  in  his  Body 
and  external  State,  was  the  Beginning  of  temporal  Death. 
Grievous   external  Calamity  is  called  by   the  Name  of 
'Death  in  Scripture,  Exod.  x.  i  7. —  Intreat  the  Lord  that 
be-  may    take   ozvay    this   Death. — Not    only  was    A- 
damh  Soul  ruin'd  that  Day,  but  his  Body  was  ruin'd  ;  it 
loft  it's  Beauty  and  Vigour,  and  became  a  poor  dull,  de- 
caying, dying  Thing.     And  befides  all  this,   Adam  was 
that  Day  undone  in  a  more  dreadful  Senfe  :   He  immedi- 
ately fell  under  the  Curfe  of  the  Law,  and  Condemnation 
to  eternal  Perdition.     In  theLanguage  of  Scripture,  he  is 
dead,  that  is  in  a  State  of  Condemnation  to  Death  ;  even 
as  our  Author  often  explains  this  Language  in  his  Expo- 
fition  upon  Romans.     In  Scripture-Language,  he  that  be- 
lieves in  Chrift,  immediately  receives  Life.      He  pafTes  at 
thatTime  fromDeath  toLife,  &  thenceforward  (to  ufe  the 
Apoftle  John's  Phrafe)  "  has  eternal  Life  abiding  in  him." 
But  yet  he  don't  then  receive  eternal  Life  in  it's  higheft 
Completion  .;  he  has  but  theBeginnings  of  it  ;  and  receives 
it  in  a  vaftly  greaterDegi  ee  atDeath  :  but  the  properTime 
for  the  compleat  Fulnefs  is  not  till  theDay  of  Judgment. 
When  theAngels  finned,  theirPuniihment  was  immediately 
executed  in  a  Degree  :  But  dieir  full  Punifhment  is  not 
till  the  End  of  the  World.     And  there  is  nothing  in  God's 
Threatning  to  Adam,  that  bound  him  to  execute  his  full 
Punifhment  at  once  ;  nor  any  thing  which  determines,  that 
he  fhould  have  no  Pofterity.     The  Law  or  Conftitution 
whichGod  eftablifhed  and  declared,  determin'd,  that  if  he 
fin'd,  and  had  Pofterity,    he  and  they  fhould  die  :    But 
there   was    no    Conftitution   determining   concerning  the 
actual  Being  of  his  Pofterity  in  this  Cafe  ;  what  Pofterity 
he  fhould  have,  how  many,    or  whether  any  at  all.     All 
thefe  Things  God  had  referved  in  his  own  Power  :   The 
Law  and  its  Sanction  intetmeddled  not  with  the  Matter. 

It 


£HAP:TH  h&m-notmo.horidthanC\\x\QL.  18* 

Sect. III.  5  ° 

It  may  be  proper  in  this  Place  alfo  to  take  fome  Notice 
of  that  Objection  of  Dr.  T — r's,   againft  Ada?ri>%  being 
fuppofed  to  be  a  federal  Head  for  his  Pofterity,    that  it 
gives  him  greater  Honour  than  Chrift,   as  it  fuppofes  that 
all  his  Pofterity  would  have  had  eternal  Life  by  his  Obe- 
dience, if  he  had  flood  ;  and  fo  a  greater  Number  would 
have  had  the  Benefit  of  his  Obedience,  than  are  faved  by 
Chrift.  * — I  think,  a  very  little  Confideration  is  fufficient 
to  ihew,   that  there  is  no  Weight  in  this  Objection.     For 
the  Benefit  of  Chrift's  Merits  may  neverthelefs  be  vaftly 
beyond  that  which  would  have  been  by  the  Obedience  of 
Adam.     For  thofe  that    are  faved    by  Chrifl,   are  not 
meerly  advanced  to  Happinefs  by  his  Merits,  but  are  fa- 
^ed  from  the  infinitely  dreadful  LfFects  of  Adam's  Sin,and 
many  from  immenfe  Guilt,Pollution  &  Mifery  by  perfonal 
Sins ;  alfo  brought  to  a  holy  &  happy  State,as  it  were  thro5 
infinite  Obflacles  ;  .and  are  exalted  to  a    far  greater  De- 
gree of  Dignity,  Felicity  &  Glory,  than  would  have  been 
due  for  Adam's  Obedience  ;   for  aught  I  know,  many 
Thoufand  Times  fo  great.     And  there  is  enough  in  the 
Gofpel-Difpenfation,  clearly  to  manifeft  the  Sufficiency 
of  Chrift's  Merits  for  fuch  Effects  in  all  Mankind.    And 
how  great  the  Number  will  be,  that  fhall  aftually  be  the 
Subjects  of  them,  or  how  great  a  Proportion  of  the  whole 
Race,  confidering  the  vaft  Succefs  of  the  Gofpel,that  mail 
be  in  that  future  extraordinary,  exempt,  and  glorious  Sea- 
fon,  often  fpoken  of,  none  can  tell.     And  the  Honour  of 
thefe  two  federal  Heads  arifes  not  fo  much  from  what  was 
propofed  to  each  for  his  Trial,  as  from  their  Succefs,  and 
the  Good  actually  obtained  ;  and  alfo  the  Manner  of  ob- 
taining :  C  hrift  obtains  the  Benefits  Men  have  thro'  him  by 
proper  Merit  of  Condignity,  and  a  true  Purchafe  by  an  E- 
quivalent :  which  would  not  have  been  the  Cafe  with  A* 
dam,  if  he  had  obeyed. 

I  have  now  particularly  confidered  the  Account  which 
Mofes  gives  us  in  the  Beginning  of  the  Bible,  of  our  firft 
Parents,  and  God's  Dealings  with  them,  the  Constitution 
__  he 

MM.M...II       —      ■         ...  

*  P.  396,  &c. 


1 84  Sum  of  tkeArg^frofrMofesAcct-Vaxt  IX. 

he  eflablifhed  with  them,  their  TranfgrefTion,  and  what. 
followed.  And  on  the  whole,  if  we  confider  the  Manner 
in  vvhich  God  apparently  fpeaks  to  Adam,  from  Time  to 
Time;  and  particularly,  if  we  confider  how  plainly  and 
iindeniably  his  Poflerity  are  included  in  the  Sentence  of 
Death  pronounced  on  Adam  after  his  Fall,  founded  on 
the  foregoing  Threatning  ;  and  confider  the  Curfe  de- 
nounced on  the  Ground  for  his  fake,  and  for  his  and  his 
Poflerity's  Sorrow  :  And  alio  confider  what  is  evidently 
the  Occafion  of  his  giving  his  Wife  the  new  Name  of  Eve, 
and  his  Meaning  in  it,  and  withal  confider  apparent  Fact 
in  conilant  and  universal  Events,  with  Relation  to  the 
State  of  our  firfl  Parents,  and  their  Poflerity  from  that 
Time  forward,  through  all  Ages  of  the  World  ;  I  can't 
but  think,  it  muft  appear  to  every  impartial  Perfon, 
that  Mofes's  Account  does,  with  fufficient  Evidence,  lead 
all  Mankind,  to  whom  his  Account  is  communicated,  to 
underftand,  that  God,  in  his  Confiitution  with  Adam,  dealt 
with  him  as  a  publick  Perfon,  and  as  the  Head  of  the  hu- 
man Species,  and  had  Refpect  to  his  Poflerity,  as  included 
in  him  :  And  that  this  Hiilory  is  given  by  divine  Direct- 
ion, in  the  Beginning  of  the  firfl-written  Revelation,  to 
exhibit  to  our  View  the  Origin  of  the  prefent  finful,  mi- 
ferableState  of  Mankind,  that  we  might  fee  what  that  was, 
which  firfl  gaveOccafion  for  all  thofe  confequent  wonder- 
ful Difpenfations  of  divine  Mercy  &  Grace  towards  Man- 
kind, which  are  the  great  Subject  of  the  Scriptures,  both 
of  the  old  and  newTeflament ;  and  that  thefe  Things  arc 
not  obfcurelyand  doubtfully  pointed  forth,  but  delivered 
in  a  plain  Account  of  Things,  which  eafily  and  naturally 
exhibits  them  to  our  Underflandings. 

And  by  what  follows  in  this  Difcourfe,  we  may  have, 
in  fome  Mcafure,  Opportunity  to  fee  how  other  Things 
in  the  holy  Scripture  agree  to  what  has  been  now  obferved 
from  the  three  firfl  Chapers  of  Genefis. 


Chap, 


(     i»S     ) 

Chap.    II. 
Obfer  vat  ions  on  other  Parts  of the  holy Scrip- 
turesy  chiefly  in  the  Old  Teftament,  that 
prove  the  DoEirine  of  Original  Sin. 

ORiginal  Depravity  may  well  be  argued  from  Wick- 
ednefs  being  often  fpoken  of  in  Scripture  as  a  Thing 
belonging  to  the  Race  of  Mankind,  and  as  if  it  were  a 
Property  of  the  Species.  So  in  Pfal.  xiv.2  3.  The  Lord 
looked  down  from  Heaven  upon  the  CHILDREN  OF 
MEN,  to  fee  if  there  were  any  that  did  under  ft  and, and 
feek  God.  They  are  all  gone  afide  ;  they  are  altogether 
become  filthy  :  There  is  none  that  dothGood  ;  no,  not  one. 
The  like  we  have  again,  Pfal.  liii.2,3. — Dr.Tlfays,  "The 
"  holySpirit  don't  mean  this  of  every  Individual ;  becaufe 
"  in  the  very  fame  Pfalm,  He  fpeaks  of  fome  that  were 
"  righteous.  >\  5.  God  is  in  the  Generation  of  theRigh- 
"  tebus"  But  how  little  is  thisObfervation  to  thePurpofe  ? 
For  who  ever  fuppofed,  that  no  unrighteous  Men  were 
ever  changed  by  divine  Grace,  and  afterwards  made  righ- 
teous ?  The  Pfalmift  is  fpeaking  of  what  Men  are  as 
they  are  the  Children  of  Men,  born  of  the  corrupt  human 
Race  ;  and  not  as  born  of  God,  whereby  they  come  to  be 
the  Children  of  God,  and  of  the  Generation  of  the  Righ- 
teous. The  Apoftle  Paul  cites  this  Place  in  Rom.  iii. 
10,11,12.  to  prove  the  univerfal  Corruption  of  Mankind  ; 
but  yet  in  the  fame  Chapter  he  fuppofes,  thefe  fame  Per- 
fons  here  fpoken  of  as  Wicked,  may  become  righteous. 
thro'  the  Righteoufnefs  and  Grace  o*f  God. 

So  Wickednefs  is  fpoken  of  in  other  Places  in  the  Book 
of  Pfalms,  as  a  Thing  that  belongs  to  Men,  as  of  the 
humanRace,  asSons  of  Men.  Thus,  in  Pfal.  iv.  2.  O  ye 
Sons  of  Men,  how  long  will  ye  turn  myGlory  intoShame  ? 
Hovj  long  will  ye  love  Vanity  &c  ?  Pfal.  Ivii.  4. —  I  He 
among  them  that  are  fet  on  Fire,  even  the  Sons  of  Men, 
whofe  "Teeth  are  Spears  and  ^Arrows,  and  their  Tongue 
a/harp  Sword,  Pfal.  lviii.  1,  2.  T>o  ye  indeed  f peak 
Q^  Righteoufnefs, 


1 86  Texts,  chiefly  of  the  old  Teftnt-  Part  If. 

Right  eoufn  fs,  O  Congregation  ?  Do  ye  judge  uprightly, 
O  ye  Sons  of  Men  ?  Tea, in  Heart  ye  work  Wickednefs  ; 
ye  weigh  out  the  Violence  of  your  Hands  in  the  Earth. 
Our  Author  mentioning  thefe  Places,  fays,  "There  was  a 
';  flrong  Party  in  Ifrael  difaffected  to  David's  Perfon  and 
<*  Government,  and  Sometimes  be  chufeth  to  denote  them 
"  by  the  Sons  or  Children  of  Men."  But  it  would  have 
been  worth  his  while  to  have  enquired,  Why  the  PTalmift 
fiiould  chufe  to  denote  the  wickedeft  and  word  Men  in 
Jfrael  by  this  Name  ?  Why  he  mould-  chufe  thus  to  dis- 
grace the  human  Race,  as  if  the  Compel lation  of  Sons  of 
Men  mod  properly  belonged  to  fuch  as  were  of  the  vikft 
Character,  and  as  if  all  the  Sons  of  Men,  even  every  one 
of  them,  were  of  fuch  a  Character,  and  none  of  them  did 
good ;  no,  not  one  ?  Is  it  not  flrange,  that  the  Righteous 
mould  not  be  thought  worthy  to  be  called  Sons  of  Men , 
and  ranked  with  that  noble  Race  of  Beings,  who  are  born 
into  the  World  wholly  right  and"  innocent  I  It  is  a  good, 
eafy  Sz  natural  Reafon  why  he  chufeth  to  call  the  Wicked 
Sons  of  Men, as  a  proper  Name  for  'em, That  by  being  of 
the  Sons  of  Men,  or  of  the  corrupt  ruin'd  Race  of  Man- 
kind, they  come  by  their  Depravity.  And  the  Pfalmifl 
himfelf  leads  us  to  this  very  R.eafon,  PfaL  lviii.  at  the 
Beginning.  Do  ye  judge  uprightly,  O  ye  Sons  of  Men  ? 
yea, in  Heart  ye  work  IVickednefs,  ye  weigh  out  the  Vio- 
lence of  your  Hands,  The  Wicked  are  eft  ranged  from 
the  \Vomb,&c.  Of  which  I  would  fpeak  more  by  &  by. 

Agr cable  to  thefe  Places,  is  Prov.  xxi.  8.  The  Way  of 
MAN  is  froward  and  Jl range  ;  but  as  for  the  pure,  his. 
Work  is  right.  He  that  is  perverfe  in  his  Walk,  is  here 
called  by  the  Name  of  Man,  as  dillinauifhed  from  the 
pure  :  which  I  think  is  abfolutely  unaccountable,  if  all 
Mankind  by  Nature  are  pure,  and  perfectly  innocent, and 
all  fuch  as  are. froward  and  flrange  in  their  Ways,  therein 
depart  from  the  native  Purity  of  all  Mankind.  TheWords 
naturally  lead  us  ro  fuppofe  the  contrary  ;  that  Depravity 
and  Perverfenefs  properly  belong  to  Mankind  as  they  are 
naturally,  and  that  a  Being  made  pure,  is  by  an  After- 
work 


€hap. II.  proving  Original  Corruption.    187 

work,  by  which  fome  are  delivered  from  native  Pollution, 
and  diftingnifhed  from  Mankind  in  general :  Which  is  per- 
fectly agreable  to  the  Reprefentation  in  Rev.xiv.4.  Where 
we  have  an  Account  of  a  Number  that  were  not  defiled, 
but  were  pure,  and  following-  the  La?nb  ;  of  whom  it  is 
ftid,  Thefe  were  RE'DEEMED  FROM  AMONG 
MEN. 

To  thefe  Things  agree,  Jer.  xvii.  5,  9.    In  the  5  y\  it 
is  (aid,  Curfed  is  he  that  trufleth  in  MAN.      And  in  the 
9th  >.-.   this  Reafon  is  given,    The  Heart  is  deceitful  a- 
bove  all  Things,  and  defperately  zvicked  ;  who  can  know 
it  I    What  Heart  is  this  fo  wicked  and -deceitful  ?  Why, 
evidently  the  Heart  of  him  who,   it  was  faid  before ,   we 
muft  not  truft  ;  and  that  is  MAN.     It  alters   not   the 
Cafe  as  to  the  prefent  Argument,  whether  the  Deceitful- 
nefs  of  the  Heart  here  fpoken  of,  be  its  Deceitfulnefs  to 
the  Man  .himfelf,    or  to  others      So   that  forc-mention'd 
Eccl.  ix.  3/  Madiiefs  is  m  the  Heart  of  the  SONS  OF 
MEN,  while  they  live.     And  thofe  Words  of  Chrift  to 
Peter,  Matth,  xvi.23.  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan — For 
thou  favourefl  not  the  Things  that  be  of  God,    but  the 
Things  that  be  of  MEN.      Signifying  plainly,  that    to 
be  carnal  and  vain,   and  oppofite  to  what  is  fpiritual  and' 
divine,  is  what  properly  belongs  to  Men   in  their  prefent 
State.     The  fame  thing  is  fuppofed  in  that  of  theApoftle, 
1  Cor.  iii.  3.   For  ye  are  yet  carnal.     For  whereas  there 
is  among  you  Envying  and  Strife,  are  ye  not  carnal,  and 
walk  as  MEN  ?.   And  that  in  Hof.  vi.  7.  But  they   like 
f&IEN,  have  tranfgrefjed  the  Covenant.     To  thefe  Pla- 
ces may  be  added, Matth.  vii.  r  r.  If  ye  being  Evil,  know 
how  to  give  good  Gifts — Jam.  iv.  5.  T>o  ye  think  that  the 
Scripture  faith  in  vain,   The  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  us, 
lufteth  to  Envy  ? — 1  Pet.  iv.2.  That  he  no  longer  fii  out d 
live  the  reft  of  his  Time  in  the  Lufls  of  MEN,    but  to 
the  Will  of  God. — Yet  above  all,  that  in  Job  xv.i  6.  How 
much  more  abominable  and  filthy  is  MAN,  v  'who  drink- 
$th  Iniquity  like  Water  ?"     Of  which  more  prefently. 

CL  2  Mo;v 


1 88   Texts,  chiefly  of  the  old  Teftnt-  Part  IL 

Now  what  Account  can  be  given  of  thefe  Things,  on 
Dr.  T — r's  Scheme  ?  How  ftrange  is  it,  that  we  fhould 
have  fuch  Defcriotions,  all  over  the  Bible,  of  MAN,  and 
THE  SONS  OF  MEN  !  Why  fhould  Man  be  fo  conti- 
nually fpoken  of  as  evil,  carnal,  perverfe,  deceitful,  and 
defperately  Wicked,  if*all  Men  are  byNatureas  perfectly 
innocent,  and  free  from  any  Propenfity  to  Evil,  as  Adam 
was  the  firft  Moment  of  his  Creation,  all  made  right,  as 
our  Author  would  have  us  underftand  Eccl.  vii.  2-9  ?  Why, 
on  the  contrary,  is  it  not  faid,  at  lead  as  often,  and  with 
equal  Rcafon  ;  that  The Heart  of  Man  is  right  and  pure  ; 
that  The  Way  of  Man  is  innocent  and  holy  ;  and  that  he 
who  favours  true  Virtue  and  Wifdom,  favours  the 
'Things  that  be  of  Men  ?  Yea,  and  why  might  it  not  as 
well  have  been  faid,  The  Lord  looked down  fromHeaven 
on  the  Sons  of  Men,  to  fee  if  there  were  any  that  did 
under/land,  and  didfeek  after  God',  and  they  were  all 
right,  altogether  pure,  there  was  none  inclined  to  do 
Wickednefs,  no,  not  one  ! 

Of  the  like  import  with  theTexts  mentioned,  are  thofe 
which  reprefent  Wickednefs  as  what  properly  belongs  to 
the  WORLD  ;  and  that  they  who  are  otherwife,areya^i 
from  the  World,  and  called  out  of  it.  As,  Joh  vii. 7.  The 
WORLD  cannot  hate  you  ;  but  me  it  hateth  ;  becaufe 
I  teflfy  of  it,  that  the  Works  thereof  are  evil  Chap, 
viii.  23.  Ye  are  of  this  WORLD  :  lam  not  of  this 
WORLD.  Chap.  xiv.  17.  The  Spirit  of  Truth, whom 
the  WORLD  cannot  receive  ;  becaufe  it  feet h  him  not, 
neither  knoweth  him  :  But  ye  know  him.  Chap.xv.i  3, 1 9. 
If  the  WORLD  hate  you,  ye  know  that  it  hated  n.e  be- 
fore it  hated  you.  If  ye  were  of  the  WORLD,  the 
WORLD  would  love  its  own  :  But  becaufe  ye  are  not 
of  the  WORLD,  but  I  have  chofen  you  out  of  the 
WORLD,  therefore  the  WORLD  hateth  you.  Rev, 
xiv.  g  ,4.  Thefe  are  they  which  were  redeemed  from  the 
j&ARTH, — redeemed  from  among  Men.  Joh.  xvii.  9. 
I  pray  not  for  the  WORLD,  buifor  them  which  thou 
haft  given  me,  $%  14,  I  have  given  them  thy  Word  ;  and 

the 


Chap.  II.   proving  Original  Corruption.  189 

the  WORLD  hath  hated  them,  becaufe  they  are  not  of 
the  WORLD,  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  WORLD. 
1  Joh.  iii.  13.  Marvel  not, my  Brethren,  if  theWORLD 
hate  you.  Chap.  iv.  5.  They  are  of  the  WORLD, 
therefore  fpeak  they  of  the  WORLD, and  the  WORLD 
heareth  them.  Chap.  v.  19.  We  are  of  God,  and  the 
whole  WORLD  lieth  inWickednefs.  'Tis  evident,that 
in  thefe  Places,  by  the  World  is  meant  the  World  of  Man- 
kind ;  not  the  Habitation,  but  the  Inhabitants.  For,  'tis 
the  World  fpoken  of  as  loving,  hating,  doing  evil  Works, 
fpeaking,  hearing  Sec. 

It  fhews  the  fame  Thing,  that  Wickednefs  is  often 
fpoken  of  as  being  Man's  OWN,  in  Contradiftinction  from 
Virtue  &  Holinefs.  So  Men'sLufls  are  often  called  their 
own  Heart'sLufts,  and  their  praclifingWickednefs  is  called 
walking  in  their  own  Ways,  walking  in  their  own  Counfels, 
in  the  Imagination  of  their  OWN  Heart,  and  in  the  Sight 
their  OWN  Eyes,  according  to  their  OWN  Devices  &c. 
ThefeThings  denote  Wickednefs  to  be  a  Quality  belong- 
ing properly  to  the  Character  and  Nature  of  Mankind,  in 
their  prefent  State  :  As,  when  Chrift  would  reprefent  that 
Lying  is  remarkably  the  Character  and- the  very  Nature 
of  the  Devil  in  his  prefent  State,  he  expreffes  it  thus, 
(Joh.  viii.44.)  "When  he  fpeaketh  a  Lye,  he  fpeaketh  of 
his  O  WN  )  For  he  is  a  Liar,  and  the  Father  of  it." 

And  that  Wickednefs  belongs  to  the  Nature  of  Man- 
kind in  their  prefent  State,  may  be  argued  from  thofe 
Places  which  fpeak  of  Mankind  as  being  wicked  in  their 
Childhood,  or  from  their  Childhood.  So,  that  in  Prov. 
xxii.  15.  Foolijimefs  is  bound  in  the  Heart  of  a  Child  \ 
but  the  Rod  of  Correction  fball  drive  it  far  from  him. 
Nothing  is  more  manifeft,  than  that  the  Wife  man  in  this 
Book  continually  ufes  the  Word  FcIly,or  Fooliflinefs,for 
Wickednefs :  And  that  this  is  what  he  means  in  thisPlace, 
the  Words  themfelves  do  fhew  :  For  theRod  of  Correction 
is  proper  to  drive  away  no  other  Fcolifrnefs,  but  that 
which  is  of  a  moral  Nature.  The  Word  render'd  Bound 
flgnifies,  as  is  obfef vcd  in  Pool's  Synopfis,  a  clofe  &  firm 

Uflioi^ 


i  go  That  noted  Text,  Gen.viii.  2  if .  Part  IL 

Union.  The  fameWord  is  ufediii  Chap.vi.21.  Bind  them 
continually  upon  thine  Heart.  And  Ch.  vii.  3.  Bind  them 
upon  thy  "Fingers,  write  them  upon  the  "Table  of  thine 
Heart.  To  the  like  Purpofe  is  Chap.  iii.  3.  and  Deut. 
xi.  18.  where  this  Word  is  ufed.  The.  fame  Verb 
js  ufed,  1  Sam  xviii.  1.  The  Soul  of  Jonathan  -was  knit 
(or  bound)  to  ^S^/£/David,a7?<yjonathan  loved  him  as 
his  ozvn  Soul. — But  how  comes  Wickednefs  to  be  fo 
firmly  bound,  and  ftrongly  fix'd,  in  the  Hearts  of  Chil- 
dren, if  it  be  not  there  naturally  ?  They  having  had  no 
Time  firmly  to  fix  Habits  of  Sin  by  long  Cullom  in 
actual  Wickednefs,  as  thofe  that  have  lived  many  Years 
in  the  Wrorld. 

The  fame  Thing  is  fignified  in  that  noted  Place,  Gen. 
viii.2  1 .  For  the  Imagination  of  Man's  Heart  is  evil  ''from 
his  Youth." — It  alters  not  the  Cafe,whether  it  be  tranflated 
For,  or  Though  the  Imagination  of  Man's  Heart  is  evil 
from  his  Youth,  as  Dr.  T.  would  have  it  ;  fiill  theWords 
fuppofe  k  to  be  fo  as  is  faid.  The  Word  tranflated 
Youth,  fignifies  the  whole  of  the  former  Part  of  the  Age 
of  Man,  which  commences  from  the  Beginning  of  Life. 
The  Woid  inks  Derivation,  has  Reference  to  the  Birth, 
or  Beginning  of  Exiilence.  It  comes  from  Nagnar, 
which  {ignifies  to  fhake  off,  as  a  Tree  fhakes  off  its  ripe 
Fruit,  or  a  Plant  its  Seed  : — the  Birth  of  Children  being 
commonly  reprefented  by  a  Tree's  yielding  Fruit,  or  a 
Plant's  yielding  Seed.  So  that  the  Word  here  translated 
Youth,  comprehends  not  only  what  we  in  Englifh  mod 
commonly  call  the  Time  of  YTouth,  but  alfo  Childhood 
and  Infancy,  and  is  very  often  ufed  to  fignify  thefe  latter. 
A  Word  of  the  fame  Root  is  ufed  to  fignify  a  young  Child, 
or  a  little  Child,  in  the  following  Places  ;  1  Sam.  i.  24, 
25,  27.  1  Kin.  iii.  7.andxi.  17.  2  Kin.  ii.  23.  Job  xxxiii. 
25.  Prov.  xxii.  6.  and  xxiii.  13.  and  xxix.  21.  Ifai.  x  19. 
and  xi.  6.  and  ixv.  29.  Jer.  x.  6.  Hof.  xi.  1.  The  fame 
Word  is  ufed  to  fignify  an  Infant,  in  Exod.  ii.  6.  &  x.  9. 
Judg.  xiii.  5,  7,  8.  and  xii.  24.  1  Sam.  i,  22.  and  iv.  21. 
2  Kin,  v.  14.  Ifai,  vii.  16.  and  viii.  4, 

1>U 


dv:  ap.  II.       a  Proof  of  Original  Sin.       191 

Dr.  T".  fays  (P.i  24.)  that  he  "conceives,/™/?/  theTouth; 
is  a  Phrafe  (ignifying  the  Grcatnefs,  or  long  Duration  of 
aThing."  But  if  by  long  Duration  he  means  anyThing 
eife  than  what  is  literally  exprefs'd,  viz.  from  the  Begin- 
ning of  Life,he  has  no  Reafon  to  conceive  fo  ;  neither  has 
what  he  offers, fo  much  as  the  Shadow  of  a  Reafon  for  his 
Conception.  There  is  no  Appearance  in  the  Words  of 
the  two  or  three  Texts  he  mentions,  of  their  meaning  any 
thing  elfe  than  what  is  moft  literally  lignified. —  And  'tis 
certain,  that  what  he  fuggefts,  is  not  the  ordinary  Import 
of  fuch  a  Phrafe  among  the  Hebrezus  :  But  that  thereby 
is  meant,  from  the  Beginning,  or  early  Time  of"  Life,  or 
Exigence  ;  as  may  be  feen  in  the  Places  following,  where 
the  fame  Word  in  the  Hebrew  is  ufed,  as  in  this  Place  in 
the  eighth  of  Genejis.  1  Sam.  xii.  2.  I  am  old,  and  grey* 
headed — and  I  have  walked  before  you  from  my  Child- 
hood, unto  this  "Day  :  where  the  original  Word  is  the 
fame.  Pfal.  lxxi.  5,6.  'Thou  art  my  Trujl  from  my  Youth  ; 
By  thee  have  I  been  ho/den  up  from  the  IVomb.  7  hru 
art  he  that  took  me  out  of  my  Mothers  Bowels,  y.  1  j, 
1  8.  O  God,  thou  haft  taught  me  from  my  Youth  ;  and 
hitherto  have  I  declared  thy  wondrous  Works  :  No-w 
alfo,  when  I  am  old  and  grey-headed,  forfake  me  not. 
PfU.  cxxix.  1,2.  Many  a  time  have  they  afflicted  me 
from  my  Youth,  may  Ifrae  now  fay  :  many  a  Time  hqve 
they  afflicled  me  from  my  Youth  ;  yet  have  they  not  pre- 
vailed againfl  me.  Ifai.  xlvii.  12.  Stand  now  with  the 
Multitude  of  thy  Sorceries,  wherein  thou  haft  laboured 
from  thy  Youth.  Soy.  15.  and  2  Sam.  xix.  7.  r 
will  be  worfe  unto  thee.,  than  all  the  Evil  thai  befel  . 
from  thy  Youth,  until  now.  Jer.  iii.  24,  25-.  Shame  hath 
devoured  the  Labour  of  our  Fathers,  from  cur  Youth, — 
IV e  have  fin  d  againfl  the  Lord  our  God,  from  our 
"Youth,  even  to  this  Day.  So  Jcr.  xxxii.  30.  &  xlviii.  1 10 
Jcb  xxxi.  18.  Gen.  xlvi.  34.   Ezek.  iv.  14.  Zech.  xiii.  5. 

And  it  is  to  be  obferved,  that  according  to  the  Manner 
of  the  Hebrew  Language,  when  it  is  (aid,  fuch  a  thing  has 
been  from  Youth,  or  the  firft  Pare  of  Existence,  the  Phrafe 

is 


i g2       Proof  from  ¥&\.  Win.  3.      Part  II. 

is  to  be  underftood  as  including  that  firft  Time  of  Exig- 
ence. So,Jofh.vi.2  1.  They  Utterly  deflroyed  all,  from  the 
Young  to  the  Old  (fo  it  is  in  the  Hebrew')  i.  e.  including 
both.     So  Efth.  iii.  1 3.  and  Gen.  xix.  4. 

And  as  Mankind  are  reprefented  in  Scripture,  as  being 
of  a  wicked  Heart  from  their  Youth,  Co  in  other  Places 
they  are  fpoken  of  as  being  thus  from  the  Womb.  Pfal. 
Iviii.  3.  'The  Wricked  are  efl  ranged  from  the  Womb  : 
They  go  aftray  as  foon  as  they  be  born,  fpeaking  Lies. 
'Tis  obfervable,  that  the  Plalmid  mentions  this  as  what 
belongs  to  the  Wicked,  as  the  SONS  OF  MEN  :  for, 
thefe  are  the  preceedingWords  ;  ilT>o  ye  judge  uprightly, 

0  ye  Sons  of  Men  ? — Yea,inHeart  ye  work  Wickednefs." 
(A  Phrafe  of  the  like  Import  with  that  in  Gen.  viii.  2  1. 
The  Imagination,  or  Operation,  as  it  might  have  been 
render'd,  of  his  Heart  is  evil.)  Then  it  follows,  The 
Wicked  are  eflranged  from  the  Womb,  &c.  The  next 
Verfe  is,  Their  Poifon  is  like  the  Poifon  of  a  Serpent. 
5Tis  fo  remarkably,  as  the  very  Nature  of  a  Serpent  is 
Poifon  :  Serpents  are  poifonous  as  foon  as  they  come  into 
theWorld  :  They  derive  a  poifonousNature  by  their  Ge- 
neration.— Dr.T.(P.  1 34,1  35-)  fays,  "  'Tis  evident  that 
"  this  is  a  fcriptural  figurative  Way  of  aggravating  Wick- 
*■*  ednefs,  on  the  one  Hand,  and  Virtue  on  the  other,  to 
"  fpeak  of  it  zs  being  from  the  WombP  And  as  an  In- 
flance  of  the  latter,  he  cites  that  in  Ifai.  xlix.  1.  The 
Lord  hath  called  me  from  the  Womb  ;  from  the  Bozuels 
of  my  Mother,  he  made  Mention  of  my  Name.  But  I 
apprehend,  that  in  order  to  feeing  this  to  be  evident,  which 
he  afTerts,  a  Man  muft  have  Eyes  peculiarly  affected.  I 
humbly  conceive,that  fuch  Phrafes  as  that  in  the  49th  of 
Ifai  ah,  of  God's  calling  the  Prophet /hw*  the  Womb,  are 
evidently, not  of  the  Import  which  he  fuppofes  ;  but  mean 
truly  from  the  Beginning  of  Exiftence,  and  are  manifeflly 
of  like  Signification  with  that  which  is  faid  of  the  Prophet 
Jeremiah,  Jer.  i.  5.    Before  I  formed  thee  in  the  Womb, 

1  knew  thee  :   Before  thou  cameft  out  of  the  Womb,  I 
fanclifed  thee,  and  ordained  thee  a  Prophet  of  the  Na- 
tions^ 


Chap.il       Proof  from  job  xv.  1 4, 1 6.    193 

tions.  Which  furely  means  ifbmethingelfe  befides  a  high 
Degree  of  Virtue  :  it  plainly  (lgnifies  that  he  was,  from 
his  firil:  Exigence,  fet  apart  by  God  for  a  Prophet.  And 
it  would  be  as  unreafoiiable  to  underftand  it  otherwife,  as 
to  fuppofe,  the  Angel  meant  any  other  than  that  Sam- 
fori  was  fet  apart  to  be  a  Nazarite  from  the  Beginning 
of  his  Life,  when  he  fays  to  his  Mother,  Behold,  thou 
Jhalt  conceive  and  bear  a  Son  :  and  nozv  drink  no  Wine, 
nor  ftrong  "Drink,  &c.  For  the  Child  (ball  be  a  Naza- 
rite to  God,  from  the  Womb,  to  the  T>ay  of  his  "Death, 
By  thefe  Instances  it  is  plain,  that  the  Phrafe,  From  the 
Womb,  as  the  other,  From  the  Youth,  as  ufed  in  Scripture, 
properly  (lgnifies  from  the  Beginning  of  Life. 

Very  remarkable  is  that  Place,  Job  xv.  14,  15,  i<5. 
JVhat  is  Mart)  that  he  fhmld  be  clean  ?  And  he  that 
is  born  of  a  Womm,tbat  he  fhould  be  righteous  ?  Behold, 
he  puiieth  no  'Truft  in  his  Saints  ;  yea,the  Heavens  are 
not  clean  in  his  Sight  :  How  much  more  abominable  and 
filthy  is  Man,  which  drinketh  Iniquity  like  Water  ?  And 
1  no  lefs  remarkable  is  Our  Author's  Method  of  managing 
of  it;  The  1 6th  >\  exprefles  an  exceeding  Degree  of 
Wickednefs,  in  as  plain  and  emphatical  Terms,  almoft,  as 
can  beinvented  ;  every  Word  reprefenting  this  in  the  ftrong* 
eitManner:  How  much  more  abominable  and  filthy  is  Man, 
that  drinketh  Iniquity  like  Water  ?  1  can't  now  recollect, 
where  we  have  a  Sentence  equal  to  it,  in  the  whole  Bible, 
for  an  emphatical,  lively  &  ftrong  P.eprefentation  of  great 
Wrickednefs  of  Heart,  Any  one  of  the  Words,  as  fuch' 
Words  are  ufed  in  Scripture, would  reprefent  greatWicked- 
nefs :  If  it  had  been  only  fa\d,How  much  more  abominable 
is  Man  I  Or,  How  much  more  filthy  is  Man  ?  Or,  Man 
drinketh  Iniquity.  — '■  But  all  thefe  are  accumulated,  with 
the  Addition  of — like  Water,  — the  further  to  reprefent  the 
Boidnefs  or  Greedinefs  of  Men,  in  Wickednefs  :  Tho' 
Iniquity  be  the  mod  deadly  Poifon,  yet  Men  drink  it  as 
boldly  as  they  drink  Water,  are  as  familiar  with  it  as  with 
their  common  Drink,  and  drink  it  with  like  Greedinefs,  as 
he  that  is  thirfty  drinks  Water.     That  Boidnefs  &  Eascr- 

R  neG 


1 94    Proof  from  job  xv.  1 4, !  6.     Part  IL 

nefs  in  perfecting  the  Saints,  by  which  the  great  Degree 
of  the  Depravity  of  Man's  Heart  often  appears,  is  repre- 
fented  thus  (Pfal.  xiv.  4.)  Have  theWorkers  of  Iniquity 
no  Knowledge  ,%u  ho  eat  up  my  People,  "as  they  eat  Bread  ?" 
And  the  greatefl  Eagernefs  of  Third  is  represented  by 
thirfting  as  an  Animal  thirlls  after  Water,  Pfal.  xlii.  1. 

New  let  us  fee  the  foft,  eafy,  light  Manner  in  which 
Dr.  T".  treats  this  Place.  P.  143.  "  Hovj  much  more  abo~ 
«  mlnabte  and  filthy  Is  Man,  IN  COMPARISON 
«  OF  THE  DIVINE  PURITY,  -who  drinkethl- 
"  nlquity  like  Water"  ?  Who  is  attended  with  fo  many 
€t  fenfual  Appetites,and  fo  apt  to  indulge  them.  You  fee 
*c  the  Argument  ;  Man  in  his  prefent  weak,  and  fkihly 
4t  State,  cannot  be  clean  before  God.  Why  fo  ?  Becaufc 
**  he  is  conceived  and  bom  in  Sin,  by  Reafbn  o£ddam9s 
"  Sin  ?  No  fuch  thing.  But  becaufe  the  pureft  Crea- 
<c  tures  are  not  pure  in  Comparifon  of  God.  Much  lefs 
46  a  Being  fubjetl  to  fo  many  INFIRMITIES,  as  a 
*'  MORTAL  Man.  Which  isaDemonftration  toMe,not 
ts  only,  that  Job  and  his  Friends  did  not  intend  to  eftab- 
*'  lifh  the  Doctrine  we  are  now  examining,  but  that  they 
Ze  were  wholly  Strangers  to  it."  Thus  this  Author  en- 
deavours to  reconcile  this  Text  with  his  Doctrine  of  the 
perfeft  native  Innocence  of  Mankind  :  In  which  we  have 
a  notable  Specimen  of  his  'Demonfl  rations ,  as  well  as  of 
that  great  Impartiality  and  Fairnefs  in  examining  and  ex- 
pounding the  Scripture,  which  he  makes  fo  often  a  Pro- 
feffiori  of. 

In  this  Place  we  are  not  only  told,  how  wicked  Man's 
Heart  is,  but  alfo  how  Men  come  by  fuch  Wickednefs ; 
even  by  being  of  theRace  of  Mankind, by  ordinaryGenc- 
ration  :  What  isMan,thatbeJbould  becleanl  and  he  that 
'■)  bom  of  a  Woman,  that  he  fbouJdbe  righteous  ?  Our 
Author  (P.  141,  142.)  reprefents  Man's  being  born  of  a 
Woman, as  a  Periphrafis .to  fignifyMan  ;  and  that  there  is 
no  De(Jgn  in  theWords  to  give  a  Reafbn,  why  Man  is  not 
clean  and  righteous.  But  theCafe  is  mod  evidently  other- 
wife,  if  we  may  inter]  ret  the  Book  of  Job  by  itfelf  ;  ?Tis 

mod 


Chap.  it.  Proof  from  Pfal.  li.  5.        195 

mofl  plain,  that  Man's  being  born  of  a  Wo?nan\s  given  as 
a  Reafon  of  his  not  being  clean  ;  Chap.  xiv.  4.  Who  can 
bring  a  clean  Thing  out  of  an  unclean  ?  Job  is  fpeaking 
there  exprefly  of" Man's  being  born  of  a  Womon,as  appears 
in  f.  1.  And  here  how  plain  is  ic,  that  this  is  given  as  a 
Reafon  of  Man's  not  being  clean  ?  Concerning  this  Dr.  T. 
fays,  That  this  has  no  refpecl  to  any  moral  Uncleannefs, 
but  only  common  Frailty,  Sec.  But  how  evidently  is  this 
alfo  otherwife  ?  when  that  Uncleannefs  which  a  Man  has 
by  being  born  of  a  Woman,  is  expreily  explaln'd  of  Utl- 
righteoufnefs ,  in  the  next  Chapter  at  the  14th  <\  What 
is  Alan, thai  he  fbould  be  clean  ?  and  hi  that  is  bom  of  a 
Woman,that  he  fhould  be  RIGHTEOUS  ?  And  alfo  in 
Chap.  xxv.  4.  How  then  canMan  be  juftified  zvith  God  •? 
•And  hozv  can  he  be  clean,that  is  born  of  a  Woman  ?  'Tis 
a  moral  Cleannefs  Bildadk  fpeaking  of,  which  a  Man 
needs  in  order  to  beiiig  juftified —  HisDefign  is,  to  con- 
vince Job  of  his  moral  Impurity,  &c  from  thence  of  God's 
Righteoufnefs  in  his  fevere  Judgments  upon  him;  and  not 
of  his  natural  Frailty. 

And  without  Doubt,  T)avid  has  refpecl:  to  this  fame 
Way  of  Derivation  of  Wickednefs  of  Heart,  when  he  fays, 
Pfal.  ii.  5.  Behold,  I  was  fbapen  in  Iniquity,  and  in  Sin 
did  my  Mother  conceive  me.  It  alters  not  the  Cafe  as  to 
the  Argument  we  are  upon,  whether  the  Word  tranflated 
concehe,  fignify  conceive,  or  nurfe  ;  which  latter,  our 
Author  takes  fo  much  Pains  to  prove  :  For  when  hje  hgs 
done  all,  he  (peaks  of  it  as  a  juft  Trauflation  of  the  W  ords 
to  render  'em  thus,  I  was  BORN  in  Iniquity,  and  in 
Sin  did  my  Mother  nurfe  me.  (P.  135.)  If  it  is  own'd 
that  Man  is  born  in  Sin,  'tis  not  worth  the  while  to  dif- 
pute,  whether  'tis  expreily  aflerted,  that  he  is  conceived  in 
Sin.  But  Dr.  T.  after  his  Manner  irifrfts,  that  fuch 
Expredions,  as  being  born  in  Sin,  being  Tranfgreffors 
from  the  Womb,  and  the  like,  are  only  Phrafes  figurative- 
ly to  denote  Aggravation,  and  high  "Degree  of  Wicked- 
nefs.  But  the  contrary  has  been  already  demonstrated, 
from  many  plain  Scripture-Inftances. — Nor  is  onelnflance 
R  2  produced, 


196  NciedLinesinVixg\\nQParallel.  PartIL 

produced,  in  which  there  is  any  Evidence  that  fuch  a  Phrafe 
is  ufed  in  fuch  a  Manner.  A  poetical  Sentence  out  of 
Yirgilh  JEneids,  has  here  been  produced,and  made  much 
of  by  fome,  as  parallel  with  this,  in  what  'Dido  fays  to 
JEneas,  in  thefe  Line?  : 
C  Nee  tibi  Diva  Parens  Generis,nec  Dardanus  Author, 
^  Perfide  :  Seel  duris  genuit  teCautibus  horrens 
£Caucafus,  Hyfcanaeque  admorunt  Ubera  Tigres. 
In  which  fhe  telis  JEneas.thzt  not  a  Goddefs  was  his  Mo- 
ther, nor  Anchifes  his  Father  ;  but  that  he  had  been  bro't 
forth  by  a  horrid  rocky  Mountain,  and  nurfed  at  the  Dugs 
of  Tygers,  to  reprefent  the  Greatnefs  of  his  Cruelty  to 
her.  But  how  unlike  and  unparallel  is  this  ?  Nothing 
could  be  more  natural,  than  for  a  Woman  overpowered 
with  the  Padion  of  Love,  and  diilracted  with  raging  Jea- 
loufy  and  Difappointment,  thinking  herfelf  treated  with 
brutifh.  Perfidy  and  Cruelty,  by  a  Lover  whofe  higbeft 
Fame  had  been  his  being  the  Son  of  a  Goddefs,  to  aggra- 
vate his  Inhumanity  and  Hard-heartednefs  with  this, That 
his  Behaviour  was  not  worthy  the  Son  of  a  Goddefs,  nor 
becoming  one  whefe  Father  was  an  illuftricus  Prince  ;  and 
that  he  acted  more  as  if  he  had  been  brought  forth  by  hard 
unrelenting  Rocks,  and  had  hacked  the  Dugs  of  Tygers. 
But  what  is  there  in  the  Cafe  of  David,  parallel,  or  at  ail 
in  like  Manner  leading  him  to  fpeak  of  himfelf  as 
born  in  Sin,  in  any  fuch  Senfe  ?  He  is  not  fpeaking  him* 
felf,  nor  any  one  elfe  fpeaking  to  him,  of  any  excellent 
and  divine  Father  and  Mother,  that  he  was  born  of  :  Nor 
is  there  any  Appearance  of  his  aggravating  his  Sin,  by  its 
being  unworthy  of  his  high  Birth.  There  is  nothing  elfc 
vifible  in  David's  Cafe,  to  lead  him  to  take  Notice  of  his 
being  born  in  Sin,  but  only  his  having  fuch  Experience  of 
the  Continuanee  and  Power  of  indwelling  Sin,  after  fo 
long  a  Time,  and  fo  many  and  great  Means  to  engage  him 
to  Holinefs  ;  which  fhew'd,  that  Sin  was  inbred,  and  in  his 
very  Nature, 

Dr.  "T.  very  often  objects  to    thefe   and   other  Texts, 
brought  by  Divines  to  prove  original  Sin,  that  there  is  no 

Mention 


UHAP. 


II,    Adam#0/#/£/tf/0tfV,noObje£tn-  f  g -j 


Mention  made  in  them  of  Adam,  nor  of  his  Sin.     He 
cries  out,  Here  is  not  the  leaf  Mention,  or  Intimation  of 

Adam,  or  any  ill  Effeds  of  his  Sin  upon  us. Here's 

not  one  Word,  nor  the  leafl  Hint  of  Adam,  or  any  Con- 
feqiiences  of  his  Sin,  &c.  &e*  He  fays,  f  "  If  Job  and 
"-•his  Friends  had  known  and  believed  the  Doctrine  of  a 
"  corrupt  Nature,  derived  from  Adam's  Sin  only,  they 
"  ought  in  Reafon  and  Truth  to  have  given  this  as  the 
"  true  and  only  Reafon  of  the  human  Imperfection  and 
tc  Uncleannefs  they  mention."  But  thefe  Objections  and 
Exclamations  are  made  no  lefs  impertinently,  than  they 
are  frequently.  'Tis  no  more  a  Proof,that  Corruption  of 
Nature  did  not  come  by  Adams  Sin,  becaufe  many  times 
when  it  is  mentioned,  Adam's  Sin  is  not  exprelly  mention'd 
as  the  Caufe  of  it,  than  thatDeath  did  not  come  by  Adam's 
Sin  (as  Dr.  T.  fays  it  did)  becaufe  tho'  Death  as  incident 
to  Mankind,  is  mentioned  Co  often  in  the  old  Teftament, 
and  by  our  Saviour  in  his  Difcourfes.  yet  Adams  Sin  is 
not  once  exprelly  mentioned,  after  the  three  firft  Chapters 
of  Gene/Is,  any  where  in  all  the  old  Teftament,  or  the 
four  Evangelifts,  as  the  Occafion  of  it. 

What  Chriftian  has  there  ever  been,  that  believed  the 
moral  Corruption  of  the  Nature  of  Mankind,  who  ever 
doubted  that  it  came  that\Vay,which  theApoftle  fpeaks  of, 
when  he  fays>"Jty  oneMan  Sin  entred  into  theWorld,and 
Death  by  Sin"  ?  Nor  indeed  have  they  any  more  Reafon 
to  doubt  of  it,  than  to  doubt  of  the  whole  Hiftory  of  our 
jSrft  ParentSjbecaiife^fow's  Name  is  fo  rarely  mention'd.. 
on  any  Occaflon  in  Scripture,  after  that  firft  Account  of 
him,  &  Eve's  never  at  all  ;  and  becaufe  we  have  no  more 
any  exprefs  Mention  of  the  particular  Manner,  in  which 
Mankind  were  firft  brought  into  Being,  either  with  refpeft 
to  the  Creation  of  Adam,  or  Eve.  5Tis  fufficient,  that 
the  abiding,  moft  vifible  Effects  of  thefe  Things  remain, 
in  the  View  of  Mankind  in  all  Ages,  and  are  often  fpeken 
of  in  Scripture  ;  and  the  particular  Manner  of  their  being 

introduced, 

*  P.  5.  64,  96,  97,  98,  102,  ro3,  112,  118,  120,  122,  123, 
127,  12$,  176,  1423  14-,  152,  1555  229,  149.     f  H2/ 


igS  Onz  plain  Revelationfaf&ciznV  Partll. 

introduced,  is  once  plainly  fet  forth  in  the  Beginning  01 
the  Bible,  in  that  Hiftory  which  gives  us  an  Account  of 
the  Origin  of  all  Things.  And  doubtlefs  it  was  expected*} 
by  the  great  Author  of  the  Bible,  that  the  Account  in  the 
three  firft  Chapters  of  Gsnefis  fhould  be  taken  as  a  plain 
Account  of  the  Introduction  of  both  natural  and  moral 
Evil,  into  the  World  ;  as  it  has  been  fkewn  to  be  fo  in- 
deed. The  Hiftory  of  Adanis  Sin,  with  itsCircurmian- 
ccs,  God's  Threatning,  and  the  Sentence  pronounced  up- 
on him  after  his  Tranfgreilion,  and  the  immediate  Conse- 
quences, conGPcing  in  fo  vail  an  Alteration  in  his  State,and 
the  State  of  the  World,  which  abides  {till,  with  refpect  to 
all  his  Pofteriry,  do  moft  directly  and  fufficiently  lead  tG 
an  underftanding  of  the  Rife  of  Calamity,  Sin  &  Death, 
in  this  finful  miierablc  World. 

3Tis  fit,  we  all  fhould  know,  that  it  don't  become 
us  to  tell  the  moil  High,  how  often  helhall  particularly 
explain  and  give  the  Reafon  of  any  Doctrine  which  he 
teaches,  in  order  to  our  believing  what  he  fays.  If  he 
has  at  all  given  us  Evidence  that,  it  is  a  Doctrine  agreable 
to  his  Mind,  it  becomes  us  to  receive  it  with  full  Credit 
and  Submifficn  ;  and  not  fallen! y  to  reject  it,  becaufe  cur 
Notions  and  Humours  are  not  fuited  in  the  Manner,  and 
Number  of  Times,  of  his  particularly  explaining  it  to  us. 
How  often  is  Pardon  of  Sins  promis'd  in  the  Old  Tefta- 
ment  to  repenting  and  returning  Sinners  ?  How  many 
hundred  Times  is  God's  fpecial  Favour  there  promifed  to 
the  fmcerely  Righteous,  without  any  exprefs  Mention  of 
thefe  Benefits  being  thro'  Chrift  ?  Would  it  therefore  be 
becoming  us  to  fay,  that  in-as-much  as  our  Dependence  on 
Chrift  for  thefe  Benefits,  is  a  Doctrine,  which,  if  true,  is 
of  fuch  Importance, that  God  ought  exprefly  to  have  men- 
tion'd  Chrift's  Merits  as  the  Reafon  and  Ground  of  the 
Benefits,  if  he  knew  they  were  the  Ground  of  'em,  and 
fhould  have  plainly  declar'd  it  fooner,  and  more  frequent- 
ly, if  ever  he  expected  we  fhould  believe  him,  when  he 
did  tell  us  of  it  ? — How  often  is  Vengeance  and  Mifery 
threaten'd  in  the  old  Tefiament  to  the  Wicked,  without 

aliy 


£H4P,IiIL  iProofs  chiefly  from  theN.Tzft^  1 99 

any  clear  and  exprefs  Signification  of  any  fuch  thing  in- 
tended, as  that  everlafting  Fire,  where  there  is  Wailing 
and  Gnailiing  of  Teeth,  in  another  World,  which  Chrift 
fo  often  fpeaks  of  as  the  Puniiliment  appointed  for  all  the 
Wicked  ?  Would  it  now  become  a  Chriftian,to  object  and 
fay,  that  if  God  really  meant  any  fuch  thing,  he  ought  in 
Reafon  and  Truth  to  have  declared  it  plainly  and  fully ; 
and  not  to  have  been  fo  filent  about  a  Matter  of  fuch  vail 
Importance  to  all  Mankind,  for  four  Thoufand  Years 
together  ? 


Chap.     III. 

Qhfervatio7ison  various mherPlaces  of  Scrip- 
ture^ principally  of  the  New  Teftament, 
proving  the  Docirine  of  Original  Sin. 

Sect.     I. 

Obfirvations  on  Job.  III.  6.  in  Couneclionwithfome 

other  TaJJages  in  the  New  Teftament. 

THofe  Words  of  Chrift,  giving  a  Reafon  to  Nicode- 
mus,  why  we  muft  be  born  again,  Joh.  iii.  6.  That 
which  is  horn  of  the  Flefh,  is  Flefh  ;  and  that  which  is 
horn  of  the  Spirit,  is  Spirit]  have  not  without  good  Rea- 
fon been  produced  byDivincs,  as  a  Proof  of  the  Doctrine 
of  Original  Sin  :  fuppcfing,  that  by  Flefh  here  is  meant 
the  human  Nature  in  a  debafed  and  corrupt  State.  Yet 
Dr.T^P.  144,).  thus  explains  thefe  Words,  That  which  is 
horn  of  the  Flefh, is  Flefh  ;  «  That  which  is  born  by  na- 
"  tural  Defcent  and  Propagation,  is  a  Man  confiding  of 
"  Body  and  oul,  or  the  meerConftitution  andPowers  of 
"  a  Man,  in  their  natural  State.''  But  the  conftantUfe 
of  thefe  Terms,  Flefh,  and  Spirit,  in  other  Parts  of  the 
New  Teftament,  when  thus  fet  in  Oppofition  one  to  ano- 
ther,and  the  latter  faid  to  be  produced  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 

as 


2  00  Proof  from  Job.  iii.  6.      Part  IiJ 

as  here  ;  and  when  fpeaking  of  the  fameThing,whichChrift 
is  here  fpeaking  of  to  Nicodemus ,  viz.  the  requ if] te  Qua- 
lifications to  Salvation,this  will  fully  vindicate  the  Senfe  of 
our  Divines.  Thus  in  the  7th  &  8th Chapters  bj  Romans, 
where  thefe  Terms  Flefh,  and  Spirit  {?*$%  and  tivivpz) 
are  abundantly  repeated,  and  fet  in  Opposition,  as  here. 
So,  Chap.  vii.  14.  The  Law  is  fpirfrtral  ( wjp'xr;x:s  ) 
but  I  am  carnal,  (fra^ittos)  fold  under  Sin.  He  can't 
only  mean,  '  I  am  a  Man,  confifting  of  Body  and  Scul,and 
having  the  Powers  of  a  Man?  Ver.  1  8.  I  know  that  in 
me,  that  is,  in  >.  y  Flefh,  dzvelieth  no  good  thing.  He 
don't  mean  to  condemn  his  Frame,  as  confifting  of  Body 
and  Soul;  and  to  a{Iert,that  in  his  human  Conflitution  ,with 
the  Pozvers  of  a  Man,  dwells  no  good  thing.  And  when 
he  fays  in  the  lad  Verfe  of  the  Chapter,  With  the  Mind 
I  my  felf  fervt  the  Law  of  God,  but  with  the  Fleih  the 
Law  of  Sin  ;  He  can't  mean,  CL  my  felfferve  theLaw  of 
God\  but  with  my  innocent  human  Con/I 'i tut  ion,  as  hav- 
ing the  Pozvers  cf  a  Man,I  ferve  the  Law  of  Sin.'  And 
when  he  fays  in  the  next  Words,  in  the  Beginning  of  the 
8th  Chapter,  'There  is  no  Condemnation  to  them  —  that 
walk  not  after  the  Y\c(\i,but  after  the  Spirit  ;  and  ver.4. 
'The  Right eoufnefs  of  the  Law  is  fulfilled  in  us, who  -walk 
not  after  the  Flefh  ;  He  can't  mean,  '  There  is  no  Con- 
demnation to  them  that  walk  not  according  to  the  Pozvers 
cf  aMan?  &c.  And  when  he  fays,  ver.  5>&  6.They  that 
are  after  the  Fleih,  do  mind  the  things  cf  the  Flefh  ; 
and  to  be  carnally  minded  is  Death  ;  He  don't  intend, 
4  They  that  are  according  to  the  human  Conflitution  and  the 
Pozvers  of  a  Man,  do  mind  theThings  of  the  human  Con- 
ftiiuiion  and  Pozvers  ;  and  to  mind  thefe,  is  Death.'  And 
when  he  fays,  ver.  7,8c  8.  The  carnal  (or  flelhiy)  Mind  is 
Enmity  againflGod,and  is  notfubjecl  to  the  Law  cf  God, 
nor  indeed  can  be  ;  So  that  they  that  are  in  tbe¥\e1h,can~ 
not  pleafe  God  ;  He  can't  mean,  that  to  mind  theThings 
which  are  agreable  to  the  Pozvers  and  Conflitution  of  a 
Man  (who,  as  our  Author  fays,  is  conftituted  or  made 
right)  is  Enmity  againft  God  ;  And  that  a  Mind  which  is 

agreable 


Chap. in.-)  inConneSiionwithotherlexts.  201 

Sect.  1.3 

agreable  to  this  right   human  Conftitution,  as  God  hath 
made  it,  is  not  fubject  to  the  Law  of  God,  nor  indeed  can 
be  ;  and  that  they  who  are  according  to  fuch  a  Conftitution, 
cannot  pleafe  God.     And   when  it  is  faid,  f.  9.  Ye  are 
not  in  the  Fleih,    but  in  the  Spirit  ;    the    Apoftle   can't 
mean,  Ye  are  not  in  the  human  Nature,  as  conflituted  of 
Body  and  Soul,  and  with  the  Povjers  of  a  Man,     'Tis 
mod  manifeft,  that  by  the  Flejb  here  the  Apoftle  means 
fome  Nature  that  is  corrupt,  and  of  an  evil  Tendency, 
and  directly  oppofite   to  the  Law,    and  holy  Nature  of 
God  ;   fo  that  to  be  and  walk  according  to  it,  and  to  have 
a  Mind  conformed  to  it,  is  to  be  an  utter  Enemy  to  God 
and  his  Law,  in  a  perfect  Inconfiilence  with  being  flibject 
to  God,  and  pleafing  God  ;  and  in  a  fure    and  infallible 
Tendency  to  Death,  and   utter  Deftruction.     And  it  is 
plain,  that  here  by  being    and  walking  after,  or  according 
;   -  to  the  Fle/b,    is  meant  the  fame  thing  as  being  and  walk- 
ing according  to  a  corrupt  and  finful  Nature  ;  and  to  be 
and  walk  according  to  the  Spirit,  is  to  be  and  walk  ac- 
cording to  a  holy  and  divine  Nature,  or  Principle  :  and 
to  be  carnally  minded,  is  die  fame  as  being  vicioufly  and 
corruptly  minded;  to  be  fpiritually  minded,  is  to  be  of 
a  virtuous  and  holy  Difpofition. 

When  Chrifl  fays,  Job.  iii.  6.  That  which  is  born  of 
the  Flefh, /V  Flefh,  he  reprefents  the  Flefb  not  meerly  as 
a  Quality  ;  for  it  would  be  incongruous,  to  fpeak  of  a 
Quality  as  a  Thing  born  :  'tis  a  Perfon,  or  Man,  that  is 
born.  Therefore  Man,  as  in  his  whole  Nature  corrupt,  is 
called  Flefh  :  Which  is  agreable  to  other  Scripture-Repre- 
fentations,where  the  corruptNature  is  called  the  Old  Man, 
the  Body  of  Sin,  and  the  Body  of 'Death.  Agreable  to  this 
are  thofeReprefentations  in  the  7th  and  8th  Chapters  of  Ro- 
mans :  there  Flefh  is  figuratively  reprefented  as  a  Perfon, 
according  to  the  Apoftle's  Manner,  obferved  by  Mr.  Locke % 
and  after  him  byDr.T — r\  who  takes  Notice,that  the  Apo- 
file,  in  the  6th  and  7th  of  Romans  reprefents  Sin  as  a 
Perfon  ;  and  that  he  figuratively  diftinguifhes  in  himfelf 
two  Perfons,  fpeaking  of  Flefh   as  his  Perfon,     For  I 

S  know 


202        Proof  from  J  oh.  in.  6.       Part  IL 

know  that  in  ME,  that  is,  in  my  F\efh,dwelletb  no  good 
thing.  And  it  may  be  obierved,  that  in  the  SthChapter, 
he  (till  continues  this  Representation,  fpeaking  of  > the 
Flejb  as  aPerfon  :  and  accordingly  in  the  6th  &  7thVerfes, 
/peaks  of  the  Mind  of  the  Flejb,  $gpvp«  tra^tos  and  of 
the  Mind  of  the  Spirit,  0^vfM  vmvfwros  ;  as  if  the  Flejb 
and  Spirit  were  two  op  polite  Perfons,  each  having  a  Mind 
contrary  to  the  Mind  of  the  other.  Dr.  T~.  interprets  this 
Mind  of  the  Flejb,  and  Mind  of  the  Spirit,  as  tho'  the 
Flejb  and  the  Spirit  were  here  fpoken  of  as  the  different 
Objefls,  about  which  the  Mind  fpoken  of  is  conversant. 
Which  is  plainly  befide  the  Apoftle's  Senfe  ;  who  fpeaks 
of  theFlefh.  and  Spirit  as  the  Subjects  and  Agents,  in  which 
the  Mind  fpoken  of  is ;  and  not  theObje£ts,about  which  it 
acts.  We  have  the  fame  Phrafe  again, /.  27.  He  that 
fearcheth  the  Hearts,  knoweth  what  is  the  MIND  OF 
THE  SPIRIT,  fg^  ^topwbs ;  the  Mind  of  the  fpi- 
ritual  Nature  in  the  Saints  beino;  the  fame  with  the  Mind 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  himfelf,  who  imparts  and  actuates 
that  fpiritual  Nature  ;  Here  the  Spirit  is  the  Subject  and 
Agent,  and  not  the  Object.  The  fame  Apoftle  in  like 
Manner  ufes  the  Word,  vdSt  in  Col.  ii.  1 8.  Vainly  puffed 
up  by  his  fleihly  Mind,  «tq  m  vo©1  tvs  ca^s  avn,  by  the 
Mind  of  his  Flejb.  And  this  Agent  fo  often  called  Flejb, 
reprefented  by  the  Apoftle,  as  altogether  evil,  without  any 
good  Thing  dwelling  in  it,  or  belonging  to  it,  yea  perfectly 
contrary  to  God  and  his  Law,  and  tending  wholly  to  Death 
and  Ruin,  and  directly  oppofite  to  the  Spirit,  is  what  Chrift 
fpeaks  of  to  Nicodejnus  as  born  in  the  firft  Birth,  as  giv- 
ing a  Reafon  why  there  is  a  Neceffity  of  a  New-birth,  in 
order  to  a  better  Production. 

One  thing  is  particularly  obfervable  in  that  Difcourfe 
bf  the  Apoftle,  in  the  7th  and  8th  of  Romans,  in  which 
he  Co  often  ufes  the  Term  Flejb,  as  oppofite  to  Spirit, 
which,  as  well  as  many  other  things  in  his  Difcourfe,  makes 
it  plain,  that  by  Flejb  he  means  fomething  in  itfelf  corrupt 
and  finful  ;  and  that  is,  that  he  exprefly  calls  it  finful 
FleJJj,  Rom.  viii.  3.     >Tis  manifeft,  that  by  finful  Flejb 

ho 


Ch ap.iii.  i   inConneSIion  with  otherTexts.   201 

SECT.    I.     3 

he  means  the  fame  Thing  with  that  Flefli  fpoken  of  in 
the  immediately  foregoing  and  following  Words,  and  in 
all  theContext  :  And  that  when  it  is  faid,  Chrift  was  made 
in  the  Likenefs  of  ftnful  Flefb,  the  Expreffion  is  equipol- 
lent with  thofe  that  fpeak  of  Chrift  as  made  Sin,  &  made 
a  Curfe  for  us. 

Flefb  and  Spirit  are  oppofed  one  to  another  in  Gal.  v. 
in  the  fame  Manner  as  in  the  8th  of  Romans  ;  And  there, 
by  Flefb  cannot  be  meant  only  the  hu/nan  Nature  of 
Body  and  Snd,  or  the  meer  Conftitution  and  Pozuers  of 
a  Man,  as  in  its  natural  State,  innocent  and  right.  In  the 
1 6th  f.  the  Apoftle  fays,  "  Walk  in  the  Spirit,  and  ye 
"  fhall  not  fulfil  the  Lufts  of  the  Flefb  :"  where  the 
Flefli  is  fpoken  of- as  a  Thing  of  an  evil  Inclination,  De- 
fire  or  Luft.  But  this  is  more  ftrongly  fignified  in  the  next 
Words  ;  For  the  Flefli  lufteth  again/l  the  Spirit,  and  the 
Spirit  againft  the  Flefli  ;  and  theft  are  contrary  one  to 
another.  What  could  have  been  faid  more  plainly, to  fhew 
that  what  the  Apoftle  means  by  Fleft,  is  fomething  very 
evii  in  its  Nature,  and  an  irreconcileable  Enemy  to  all 
Goodncfs  ?  And  it  may  be  obferved,  that  in  thefe Words, 
and  thofe  that  follow,  the  Apoftle  full  figuratively  repre- 
fents  the  Flefb  as  a  Perfon  or  Agent,- defiring,  acling,  having 
Lufts,  and  performing  Works.  And  by  Works  of  the 
Flefb,  and  Fruits  of  the  Spirit,  which  are  oppofed  to  each 
other,  from  f.  19.  to  theiind,  are  plainly  meant  the  fame 
as  Works  of  a  finful  Nature,  and  Fruits  of  a  holy  renewed 
Nature.  Now  the  Works  of  the  Flefli  are  manifeft% 
which  are  thefe  ;  Adultery ,Fornication,Uncleannefs ,Laf 
civioufnefs,  Idolatry,  Witchcraft,  Hatred,  Variance, 
Wrath,  Strife,  Seditions,  Herefies,  &c. — But  the  Fruit 
of  the  Spirit  is  Love,  Joy,  Peace,  Long-fuffering,  Gentle^ 
tiefs,  Gcodnefs,  &c.  The  Apoftle,  by  Flefb,  don't  mean 
any  thing  that  is  innocent  and  good  in  itfelf,  that  only  needs 
to  be  reftrained,  and  kept  in  proper  Bounds  ;  but  fome- 
thing altogether  Evil,  which  is  to  be  deftroyed,  and  not 
only  reftrained.  1  Cor.  v.  5.  To  deliver  fuch  an  One  to 
Satan,  for  the  Deftruclion  of  the  Flefli.     We  muft  have 

S  2  no 


204  Prcof from  Joh.  iii.  6.       Part  II. 

no  Mercy  on  it  ;  we  can't  be  too  cruel  to  it  ;  it  muft  even 
be  crucified.  Gal.  v.  24.  They  that  are  ChrijTs,  have 
crucified  the  Flefh,  with  the  Affections  and  Lujls. 

The  Apoftle  John,  the  fame  Apoftle  that  writes  the 
Account  of  what  Chrifl  faid  to  JNicodemus,  by  the  Spirit 
means  the  fame  thing  as  a  new,  divine  and  holy  Nature,, 
exerting  itfelf  in  a  Principle  of  divine  Love,  which  is  the 
Sum  of  all  Chriftian  Holinefs.  1  Joh.  iii.  23,  24.  And 
that  we  fliould  love  one  another,  as  he  gave  us  Command- 
ment ;  and  he  that  keepeth  his  Commandments -f  dwelleth 
in  him,  and  he  in  him  :  and  hereby  we  know  that  he  a- 
bideth  in  us,  by  the  Spirit  that  he  hath  given  us.  With 
Chap.  iv.  12,  13.  If  we  love  one  another,  God  dzvelleth 
in  us,  and  his  Love  is  perfecled  in  us  :  Hereby  knozu  we, 
that  we  dwell  in  him,  becaufe  he  hath  given  us  of  his 
Spirit.  The  fpiritual  Principle  in  us  being  as  it  were  a 
Communication  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to  us. 

And  as  by  mn-jo^  is  meant  a  holy  Nature,  fo  by  the 
Epithet  'wzvp'ZTLKQs,  fpiritual,  is  meant  the  fame  as  truly 
virtuous  and  holy,  Gal.  vi.  1.  Ye  that  are  fpiritual,  re- 
ft ore  fuch  an  one  in  the  Spirit  of  Meeknefs.  The  Apoftle 
refers  to  what  he  had  juft  faid,  in  the  End  of  the  forego- 
ing Chapter,  where  he  had  mentioned  Meeknefs,  as  a  Fruit 
of  the  Spirit.  And  fo  by  carnal,  or  fiefbly,  ca^Ms  is 
meant  the  fame  as  finful.  Rom.  vii.  14.  'The  Laze  is 
fpiritual  (i.  e.  holy)  But  I  am  carnal,  fold  under  Sin. 

And  'tis  evident,  that  by  Flefb,  as  the  Word  is  ufed  in 
theNew  Tcftament,  &  oppofed  to£/>/>//,when  fpeaking  of 
the  Qualifications  for  eternal  Salvation,  is  not  meant  only 
what  is  now  vulgarly  called  the  Sins  of  the  Flejb,  con- 
fiding in  inordinate  Appetites  of  the  Body,  and  their  In- 
dulgence ;  but  the  whole  Body  of  Sin,  implying  thofe 
Lulls  that  are  molt  fubtil,  and  furthefl  from  any  Rela- 
tion to  the  Body  ;  fuch  as  Pride,Malice?  Envy,  &c.  When 
the  Works  of  the  Flefb  are  enumerated,  Gal.  v.  19,  20, 
21.  they  are  Vices  of  the  latter  Kind  chiefly,  that  are 
mentioned  ;  Idolatry , Witchcraft,  Haired,  Variance,  E- 
mulations,  Wrath,  Strife,  Seditions,  Herefies,  Envyings. 

So, 


Chap.  in.  ">  jnConneSiion  with  other  "Texts.  20  c 

Sect.  I.    3 

So,  Pride  of  Heart  is  the  Eife£r.  or  Operation  of  the 
Flefh.  Col.  ii.  18.  Vainly  puffed  up  by  his  flefhly  Mind  : 
in  the  Greek,  by  the  Mind  of  the  Flefh.  So  Pride,  En- 
vying, Strife  and  Divifon,  are  fpoken  of  as  Works  of 
the  Flefh,  1  Cor.  iii.  3,4.  For  ye  are  yet  carnal  (  «ra?v.ixo{ 
flefhly.)  For  zu  here  as  there  is  Envying,  and  Strife,  and 
'Divifon,  are  ye  not  carnal,  and  walk  as  Men  ?  For 
while  one  faith  J  am  of  J?zu\,and  another,  lam  of  A  polios, 
are  ye  not  carnal  ?  Such  kind  of  Lulls  don't  depend  on 
the  Body,  or  external  Senfes  ;  for  the  Devil  himfelf  has 
them  in  the  higheft  Degree,  who  has  not,  nor  ever  had, 
any  Body  or  external  Senfes  to  gratify. 

Here,  if  it  fhould  be  enquir'd,  how  Corruption  orDe- 
pravity  in  general,  or  the  Nature  of  Man  as  corrupt  and 
finful,came  to  be  called  Flefh  ;  and  not  only  that  Corrup- 
tion which  confins  in  inordinate  bodilyAppetites?  I  think, 
what  the  Apoftle  fays  in  the  laft  cited  Place,  Are  ye  not 
carnal,  and  walk  AS  MEN  ?  leads  us  to  the  true  Rea- 
fon.  'Tis  bccaufe  a  corrupt  and  (inful  Nature  is  what 
properly  belongs  to  Mankind,  or  the  Race  of  Adam,  as 
they  are  in  thefnfelves,  and  as  they  are  by  Nature.  The 
Word  Flefb  is  a  Word  often  ufed  in  both  old  Teftamcnt 
and  new  to  fignify  Mankind  in  their  prefent  State.  To 
enumerate  all  the  Places,  would  be  very  tedious;  I  iliall 
therefore  only  mention  a  fewPlaces  in  theNewTeftamenr. 
Matt.  xxiv.  22.  Except  thofe  Days  fhould  be  fhortned,  no 
Ylzftiflmild  be  faved.  Luk.  iii.  6.  AltFk&ifkaMfe*  the 
Salvation  of  God.  Joh.xvii.2.  Thou  haft  given  himPozuer 
over  all  Flefh.  See  alfo  A£t.  ii.  17.  Rom.  iii. 20.  1  Cor. 
i,  29.  Gal.  ii.  16.  Man's  Nature,  being  left  to  it  felf, 
forfaken  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  it  was  when  Man  fell, 
and  confeqnently  forfaken  of  divine  and  holy  Principles, 
of  it  felf  became  exceeding  corrupt,  utterly  depraved  and 
ruined.  And  fo  the  Word  Flefh,  which  fignifles  Man, 
came  to  be  ufed  to  fignify  Man  as  he  is  in  himfelf,  in  his 
natural  State,  debafed.  corrupt  and  ruin'd.  And  on  the 
other  Hand,  the  Word  Spirit  came  to  be  ufed  to  fignify  a 
divine  and  holy  Principle,  or  new  Nature  ;  becaufe  that 

is 


2o6"       Proof  from  Joh.  iii.  6.        Part  II. 

is  not  of  Man,  but  of  God,  by  the  Indwelling  and  vital 
Influence  of  bis  Spirit.  And  thus  to  be  corrupt,  and  to 
be  carnal,  ox  flefhly,  and  to  walk  a?  Meny  are  the  fame 
thing  with  the  Apoftle.  And  fo  in  other  Parts  of  the 
Scripture,  to  favour  the  Things  that  be  of  Men,  and  to 
favour  Things  which  are  corruptee  the  fame  ;  and  Sons 
of  Men, and  zuicked  _M?;?,alfo  are  theTame,as  was  obferv- 
ed  before.  And  on  the  other  hand,  to  favour  the  Things 
that  be  of  God,  and  to  receive  the  Things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  are  Phrafes  that  fignify  as  much  as  relifhing  and 
embracing  true  Holiness  or  divine  Virtue. 

All  thefe  Things  confirm  what  we  have  fuppofed  to  be 
Chrift's  Meaning,  in  faying,  That  which  is  born  of  the 
Flejh,  is  Flefh  ;  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  is 
Spirit.  His  Speech  implies,  that  what  is  born  in  the  firff. 
Birth  of  Man,  is  Nothing  but  Man  as  he  is  of  himfelf, 
without  any  thing  divine  in  him;  depraved,  debafied,finfiil, 
ruin'd  Man,  utterly  unfit  to  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of 
God,  and  incapable  of  the  fpiritnal  divine  Happincfs  of 
that  Kingdom  :  but  that  which  is  born  in  the  new  Birth, 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  a  fpiritnal  Principle,  and  holy  and 
divine  Nature,  meet  for  the  divine  &  heavenly  Kingdom. 
?Tis  a  Confirmation  that  this  is  the  true  Meaning,  that  it 
is  not  only  evidently  agreable  to  the  conftant  Language  of 
the  Spirit  of  Chrift  in  the  New-Teftament ;  but  theWords 
underftood  in  this  Senfe,  contain  the  proper  and  true  Rea- 
fon,  why  a  Man  muff  be  born  again,  in  order  to  enter  into 
the  Kingdom  of  God ;  the  Reafon  that  is  given  every 
where  in  other  Parts  of  the  Scripture  for  the  Neceflity  of 
a  Renovation,  a  Change  of  Mind,  a  new  Heart  &c.  in  or- 
der to  Salvation  :  To  give  a  Reafon  of  which  to  Nicode- 
mus,  is  plainly  Chrift's  Defign  in  the  Words  which  have 
been  infilled  on. 

Before  1  proceed,  I  would  obferve  one  Thing  as  a  Co- 
rollary from  what  has  been  faid. 

Corol.  If  by'Flcfh  and  Spirit  when  fpoken  of  in  the 
New  Teflament,  and  oppofed  to  each  other,  in  Difcourfes 
on  the  neceflary  Qualifications  for  Salvation,    we  are  to 

understand 


c^p.iii.?  Proof  from  i  Cor.  ii.  14,^.  207 

underiland  what  has  been  now  fuppofed,  it  will  not  only 
follow,  that  Men  by  Nature  are  corrupt,  but  zv  holly  cor- 
rupt, without  any  good  Thing.  If  by  Flefh  is  meant 
Man's  Nature,  as  he  receives  it  in  his  firft  Birth,  then 
therein  dwelleth  no  good  Thing  ;  as  appears  by  Rom.vii. 
18.  'Tis  wholly  oppofite  to  God,  and  to  Subjection  to 
his  Law,  as  appears  by  Rom.  via.  7,  8.  'Tis  directly 
contrary  to  true  Holinefs,  and  wholly  oppofes  it,  and 
Holinefs  is  oppofite  to  that  ;  as  appears  by  Gal.  v.  17. 
So  long  as  Men  are  in  their  natural  State,  they  not  only 
have  no  good  Thing,  but  it  is  impoflible  they  mould  have, 
or  do  any  good  Thing  l^s  appears  by  Rom.  villi  8.  There 
is  nothing  in  their  Nature,  as  they  have  it  by  the  firfr. 
Birth,  whence  fliould  arife  any  true  Subjection  to  God  ; 
as  appears  by  Rom.  viii.  7.  If  there  were  any  thing  truly 
good  in  the  Flefh,ox  in  Maris  Nature,  or  natural  Difpo- 
fition,  under  amoralView,  then  it  fliould  only  be  amended  ; 
but  the  Scripture  reprefents  as  tho'  we  were  to  be  Ene- 
mies to  it,  and  were  to  feek  nothing  fhort  of  its  entire  De= 
flruction,  as  has  been  obferved.  Andelfewhere  the  Apo- 
file  directs  not  to  the  amending  of  the  old  Man,  hut  put- 
ting it  ojf,and  putting  on  the  new  Man  ;  and  feeks  not  to 
have  the  Body  of 'Death  made  better,  but  to  be  delivered 
from  it  ;  And  fays,  That  if  any  Man  be  in  Chrifl,  he 
is  a  new  Creature  (which  doubtlefs  means  the  fame  as  a 
Man  new-born)  Old  Things  are  (not  amended)  but  paffed 
away,  and  ALL  Things  are  become  new. 

But  this  will  be  further  evident,  if  we  particularly  con- 
fider  the  Apoflle's  Difcourfe  in  the  latter  Part  of  the  fe- 
cond  Chapter  of  1  Cor.   &   the   Beginning  of  the    third. 
There  the  Apoftle  fpeaks  of  the  natural  Man,  ,  and    the 
fpiritual  Man  :  where  natural  and  fpiritual  are  oppos'd 
juft  in  the  fame  Manner,   as  I  have  obferved  carnal   and 
fpiritual  often  are.     In  Chap.  ii.  14,15.  he  fays,  The  na- 
tural Man  receiveth  not  theThings  of  theSpirit  of  God  : 
for  they  are  Foolifbnefs  unto  him  ;   neither  can  he  know 
them,     becaufe    they    are    fpiriiually   difcerned.      But 
he  that  is  fpiritual,  judgeth  all  Things,     And  not  only 

does 


ao8  Prof  from  i  Con  ii.  \j\0c.  Part  IL 

does  theApoftle  here  oppofe  natural  and  fpiritual,  juft  as 
he  elfewhere  does  carnal  2li\<&  fpiritual,  but  his  following 
Difcourfe  evidently  fliows,  that  he  means  the  very  fame 
DiftincYion,  the  fame  two  diftin6b  and  oppofiteThings.   For 

immediately  on  his  thus  fpeakingof  theDiffcrence  between 
the  natural  and  the  fpiritual  Man,  he  turns  to  the  Co- 
rinthians, in  the  firlt  Words  of  the  next  Chapter,  connect- 
ed with  this,  and  fays,  And  I,  Brethren,  could  not  [peak 
unto  you  as  unto  fpiritual,  but  as  unto  carnal.  Preferring 
manifeftly  to  what  he  had  been  frying, in  the  immediately 
preceeding  Difcourfe, about  fpiritual  and  natural  Men,  and 
evidently  ufing  the  Word, carnal,  as  fynonymous  with  na* 
tural.  By  which  it  is  put  out  of  all  reafonable  Difpute, 
that  the  Apoftle  by  natural  Men  means  the  fame  as  Men 
in  that  carnal,  finful  State,  that  they  are  in  by  their  firft 
Birth  ;  —  notwithstanding  all  the  GloiTes  and  Criticifms,  by 
which  modern  Writers  have  endeavoured  to  palm  upon  us 
another  Senfe  of  this  Phrafe,  and  fo  to  deprive  us  of  the 
clear  Initrucdon  the  Apoltle  gives  in  that  14th  ver.  con- 
cerning the  finful  miferable  State  of  Man  by  Nature.  Dr. 
T.  fays,  by  4oX:ho>%  is  meant  the  animal  Man.  the  Man 
who  maketh  Senfe  and  Appetite  the  Law  of  his  Action. 
If  he  aims  to  limit  the  Meaning  of  the  Word  to  external 
Senfe,and  bodiiyAppetite,his  Meaning  is  certainly  not  the 
A^poftle's.  For  theApoflle  in  his  Senfe  includes  the  more 
fpiritual  Vices  of  Envy,Strife,  Szc.  as  appears  by  the  four 
firft  Verfes  of  the  next  Chapter  ;  where,  as  I  have  obferv- 
ed,  he  fubftitutes  the  Word  carnal'm  the  Place  of  tyXitoSi 
So  the  Aroll  e  Jude  ufes  the  Word  in  like  Manner,  oppo- 
fing  it  to  fpiritual,  or  having  the  Spirit,  ver.  19.  Thefe 
are  they  that  fepar ate  themfelves,  ferfual  (  4v%wos)  **  not 
having  the  Spirit."  The  Vices  he  had  been  juft  fpeak- 
ing  of,  were  chiefly  of  the  more  fpiritual  Kind.  tf.  16. 
Thefe  are  Murmurers,  Complainers,  walking  after  their 
awn  Lujls  ;  and  their  Mouth  fpeaketh  great  fiveUing 
Words,  having  Men's  Perfons  in  Admiration  becaufe 
of  Advantage.  The  Vices  mentioned  are  much  of  the 
fame  Kind  with  thofe  of  the  Corinthians,    for   which  he 

calls 


s?c?  II1'  \"Remarks  on  Rom  iii.  9,-24.   209 

calls  them  carnal ;  Envying,  Strife  and  T)ivifions,  and 
faying,  I  am  of  Paul,  and  I  of  Apollo s  ;  and  being  puffed 
up  for  one  againfl  another.  We  have  the  fame  Word 
again,  Jam.  iii.  14,  15.  If  ye  have  bitter  Envying  and 
Strife,  glory  not,  and  lie  not  againfl  the  Truth  :  This 
Wifdom  defcendeth  not  from  above,  but  is  earthly,  fenfual 
(+vX»nO  and  devilifb  ;  where  alfo  the  Vicesx  the  /-Npoille 
ipeaks  of  are  of  the  more  fpiritual  Kind. 

So  that  on  the  whole,  there  is  fufficient  Reafon  to  un- 
derhand theApoftle,  when  he  fpeaks  of  the  natural  Man 
in  that  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  as  meaning  Man  in  his  native  corrupt 
State.  And  his  Words  reprefent  him  as  totally  corrupt, 
wholly  a  Stranger  and  Enemy  to  true  Virtue  or  Holinefs, 
and  Things  appertaining  to  it,  which  it  appears  are  com- 
monly intended  in  the  New  Teftament  by  'Things  fpiri- 
tual, and  are  doubtlefs  here  meant  by  Things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God.  Thefe  Words  alfo  reprefent,  that  it  is  impoflible 
Man  fhould  be  otherwife,  while  in  his  natural  State. 
The  ExprefTions  are  very  ftrong  :  The  natural  Man  re* 
ceiveth  mt  the  Things  of  the  ^Spirit  of  God,  is  not  fuf. 
ceprible  of  Things  of  that  Kind,  neither  can  he  know  them, 
can  have  no  true  Senfe  or  Relifli  of  them,  or  Notion  of 
their  real  Nature  and  true  Excellency  ;  Becaufe  th-v  are 
fpiritually  difcerned  ;  they  are  not  difcerned  Sis  of 

any  Principle  in  Nature,  but  altogether  by  a  Principle  that 
is  divine,  fomething  introduced  by  the  Grace  of  God's  holy 
Spirit,  which  is  above  all  that  is  natural.  T!u  Words  are 
in  a  confiderable  Degree  parallel  with  thofe  of  our  Saviour, 
Joh.xiv.  1  6, 1 7.  Hejball  give  you  theSpirit  of  Truth, whom 
the  iVorld  cannot  receive,  becaufe  it  feeih  him  not,  nei- 
ther knaweth  him  :  But  ye  know  him  ;  for  he  dzvelletb 
with  you,  and  ft  all  be  in  you. 


Sect.     II. 

Obfer  vat  ions  on  Rom.   iii.   c 


1 


F  the  Scriptures  reprefent   all  Mankind  as  wicked   in 
their  firft  State,  before  they  are  made  Partakers  \  f  the 
T  Benefits 


210  Proof  from  Rom.  iii.  9,-24.  Part  II. 

Benefits  of  Chrid's  Redemption,  then  they  are  wicked  by 
Nature  :  For  doubtlefs  Men's  fird  State  is  their  native 
State,  or  the  State  they  come  into  the  World  in.  But  the 
Scriptures  do  thus  reprefcnt  all  Mankind. 

Before  I  mention  particular  Texts  to  this  Purpofe,  I 
v/ould  obfervc,  that  it  alters  not  the  Cafe  as  to  the  Argu- 
ment in  Hand,  whether  we  fuppofe  thefe  Texts  fpeak  di- 
rectly of  Infants,  or  only  of  fuch  as  are  capable  of  fome 
Underflanding,  fo  as  to  underdand  fomething  of  their  own 
Duty  and  State.  For  if  it  be  fo  with  all  Mankind,  that 
as  foon  as  ever  they  are  capable  of  reflecting  and  knowing 
their  own  moral  State,  they  find  themfelves  wicked,  this 
proves  that  they  are  wicked  byNature ;  either  born  wicked, 
or  born  with  an  infallible  Difpofition  to  be  wicked  as  foon 
as  podible,  if  there  be  any  Difference  between  thefe;  'and 
either  of  'em  will  prove  Men  to  be  born  exceedingly  de- 
praved. I  have  before  proved,  that  a  nativePropenfity  to 
Sin  certainly  follows  from  many  things  faid  in  the  Scrip- 
ture, of  Mankind  ;  but  what  I  intend  now,  is  fomething 
more  direct,  to  prove  by  direct  Scripture-Ted imony,  that 
all  Mankind  in  their  fird  State  are  really  of  a  wicked 
Character. 

To  this  Purpofe  is  exceeding  full,  exprefs  &  abundant 
that  Pafiage  of  the  Apodle,in  Rom.  iii.  beginning  with  the 
9th  >\  to  theEnd  of  the  24th  ;  which  1  fhall  fet  down  at 
large,  didinguifhing  the  univerfal  Terms  which  are  here 
fo  often  repeated,  by  a  didincr.  Character.  The  Apodle 
having  in  the  fird  Chap,  f,  16,  17.  laid  down  his  Propo- 
rtion, that  none  can  be  faved  in  any  other  Way  than  thro' 
the  Righteoufnefs  of  God,  by  Faith  in  Jefus  Cbrid,  he 
proceeds  to  prove  this  Point,  by  fhewing  particularly  that 
all  are  in  themfelves  Wicked,  and  without  any  Righteouf- 
nefs  of  their  own.  Fird,  he  infids  on  the  Wickednefs  of 
the  Gentiles,  in  the  fird  Chapter  ;  and  next,  on  the  Wick- 
ednefs of  the  Jews,  in  the  fecond  Chapter.  And  then  in 
this  Place,  he  comes  to  fum  up  the  Matter,  and  draw  the 
Conclusion  in  theWords  following  :  "  What  then,  are  we 
*v  better  than  they  ?  No,  in  no  wife  j  for  we  have  before 

"  proved 


Chap.iii.  i  Au  in  their  fir  ft  StateW\zVe&.  2  1 1 

Sect.  II.  J  J    J 

'  proved  both  Jezus  and  Gentiles,  that  they  are  all  under 
8  Sin  :  As  it  is  written,  There  is  NONE  righteous,  NO, 
■  NOT  ONE  ;  there  is  NONE  that  underftandeth  ; 
6  there  is  NOInE  that  feeketh  after  God  ;  they  are  ALL 
;  gone  out  of  the  Way  ;  they  are  TOGETHER  become 

5  unprofitable  ;  there  is  NONE  that  doth  Good,  NO, 

*  NOT  ONE.  Their  Throat  is  an  open  Sepulchre  ; 
1  with  their  Tongues  they  have  ufed  Deceit  ;  the  Poifon 
c  of  Afps  is  under  their  Lips  ;  whofe  Mouth  is  full  of 
1  (Turfing  &  Bitternefs ;  their  Feet  are  fwift  to  JOhedBlood  ; 
4  Destruction  and  Mifery  are  in  their  "Ways,  and  the  Way 
'  of  Peace  they  have  not  known  ;  there  is  no  Fear  of  God 
4  before  their  Eyes.  Now  we  know,  that  whatfoever 
4  Things  the  Law  faith,  it  faith  to  them  that  are  under 
'■  the  Law,  that  EVERY  Mouth  may  be  flopped,  and 
'  ALL  THE  WORLD  may  become  guilty  before  God. 
4  Therefore  by  the  Deeds  of  the  Law,  there  fhall  NO 
'  FLESH  be  juftified  in  his  Sight  ;  for  by  the  Law  is  the 

*  Knowledge  of  Sin.  But  now  the  Right eoufnefs  of  God 
;  without  the  Law,  is  manifefl,  being  witnefTed  by  the 
4  Law  and  the  Prophets ;  even  the  Righteoufnefs  of  God, 
4  which  is  by  Faith  of  Jefus  Chrift,  unto  ALL,  and  upon 
4  ALL  them  that  believe  ;  for   there  is  NO  DIFFE- 

6  RENCE.  For  ALL  have  finned,  &  come  fliort  of  the 
'  Glory  of  God.     Being  juflified  freely    by  his  Grace, 

*  thro'  the  Redemption  which  is  in  Jefus  Chrift." ■ 

Here  the  thing  which  I  would  prove,  viz.  thatMankind 

in  their  firft  State,  before  they  are  interefted  in  the  Bene- 
fits of  ChriiVs  Redemption,  are  univerfally  wicked,  is  de- 
clared with  the  utmoft  poflible  Fulnefs  and  Precifion.  So 
that  if  here  this  Matter  ben't  fet  forth  plainly,  exprefly 
and  fully,  it  muft  be  becaufe  no  Words  can  do  it,  and  it  is 
not  in  the  Power  of  Language  or  any  Manner  of  Terms 
and  Phrafes,  however  contrived  and  heaped  up  one  upon 
another,  determinately  to  fignify  any  fuch  Thing. 

Dr.  jf.  to  take  off  the  Force  of  the  whole,  would  have 
us  to  underffand  (P.104 — 107)  that  thefe  PafTages,quoted 
from  the  Pfalms,  and  other  Parts  of  the  old  Teftament, 

T  2  donV 


2  r2  Proof  from  Rom.  iii.  o, — 24.  Part  If, 

don't  fpcak  of  all  Mankind,  nor  of  all  the  Jews  ;  but 
only  of  them  of  whom  they  were  true.  He  obferves, 
there  were  many  that  were  innocent  and  righteous  ;  tho' 
there  were  alfo  many,  a  ftrong  Party,  that  were  wicked, 
corrupt,  &c.  of  whom  thefe  Texts  were  to  be  underftood. 
Concerning  which  1  would  obferve  the  following  Things. 
1.  According  to  this,  the  Univerfality  of  the  Terms 
that  are  found  in  thefe  Places, which  theApoftle  cites  from 
the  old  Teftament,  to  prove  that  all  theWorld,  both  Jews 
and  Gentiles,  are  under  Sin,  is  nothing  to  his  Purpofe. 
The  Apoftle  ufes  univerfal  Terms  in  his  Proportion,  and 
in  his  Conclufion,  that  ALL  are  under  Sin,  that  EVERY 
MOUTH  is  flopped,  ALL  THE  WORLD  guilty ,— 
that  by  the  Deeds  of  the  Law  NO  FLESH  can  be 
juflified.  And  he  chufes  out  a  Number  of  univerfal  Say- 
ings or  Clanfes  out  of  the  Old  Teftament,  to  confirm  this 
Univerfality  ;  as,  There  is  none  righteous  ;  no,  not  one  : 
'They  are  all  gone  out  of  the  Ti^ay  ;  There  is  -none  that 
under flandeth,  Sec.  But  yet  the  Univerfality  of  thefe 
Expreflidns  h  nothing  to  hisPurpofe  ;  becaufethe  univerfal 
Terms  found  in  'em  have  indeed  no  Reference  to  any  fiich 
Univerfality, asthis theApoflle  fpeaks  of,nor  any  thing  a-kin 
to  it  ;  they  mean  no  Univerfality,  either  in  the  collective 
Senfe,  or  perfonal  Scnfe  ;  no  Univerfality  of  the  Nations 
of  the  World,  cr  of  particular  Perfons  in  thofe  Nations,  or 
in  any  one  Nation  in  the  World  :  "  But  only  of  thofe  of 
i(  whom  they  are  true P  That  is,  There  is  none  of  them 
righteous,  of  whom  it  is  true,  that  they  are  not  righteous  ; 
no,  not' one  ;  There  is  none  that  under  ft  and,  of  whom  it 
is  true,  that  they  underftand  not  :  They  are  all  gone  out 
cf  the  JVay,  of  whom  it  is  true,  that  they  are  gone  out  of 
tue  Way,  &c. — Or  thefe  Expreffions  are  to  be  underftood 
concerning  that  ftrong  Party  in  Ifrael,  in  T>avid's  and 
Solomon's  Days  and  in  the  Prophets  Days  :  they  are  to 
be  under'1  ood  of  them  univerfally.  And  what  is  that  to 
the  Apoftle's  Purpofe  ?  How  does  fuch  an  Univerfality 
cf  Wickednefs,as  this, — that  all  were  wicked  in  Ifrael, who 
were  wicked, — or,  that  there  was  a  particular  evilParty,all 

of 


's?ctP 'ni  Al1  ** their firJiStateWvkfA.  2  1 3 

of  which  were  wicked, — confirm  that  Univerfality  which 
the  Apodle  would  prove,  viz.  That  all  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles, and  the  zvhole  World  were  wicked,  and  every  Mouth 
flopped,  and  that  no  Flejb  could  be  judified  by  their  own 
Righteoufnefs. 

Here  nothing  can  be  faid  to  abate  the  Nonfenfe,  but 
this,  That  the  Apodle  would  convince  the  Jews,  trnt 
they  were  capable  of  being  wicked,  as  well  as  other  Na- 
tions ;  and  to  prove  it,  he  mentions  fome  Texts,  which 
fhew  that  there  was  a  wicked  Party  in  Ifrael,  a  Thoufand 
Years  ago  :  And  that  as  to  the  univerfalTerms  which  hap- 
pened to  be  in  thefe  Texts,  the  Apodle  had  no  Refpeft  to 
thefe  ;  but  his  reciting  them  is  as  it  were  accidental,  they 
happened  to  be  in  fome  Texts  which  (peak  of  an  evil  Party 
in  Ifrael,  and  the  Apodle  cites  'em  as  they  are,  not  be- 
cauie  tney  are  any  more  to  his  Purpofe  for  the  univerfal 
Terms,  which  happen  to  be  in  them.  But  let  the  Reader 
look  on  the  Words  of  the  Apoftle,  and  obferve  the  Vio- 
lence of  fueh  a  Supposition.  Particularly  let  the  Words 
of  the  9th  and  i  oth  Verfes,  and  their  Connection,  be  ob- 
ferved.  ±411  are  under  Sin  :  as  it  is  written,  There  is 
none  righteous  ;  no,  not  one.  How  plain  is  it,  that  the 
Apodle  cites  that  latter  univerfal  Claufe  out  of  the  14th 
Pialm,  to  confirm  the  preceeding  univerfal  Words  of  his 
own  Proportion  ?  And  yet  it  will  follow  from  the  Things 
which  Dr.  T.  fuppofes,  that  theUniverfality  of  the  Terms 
in  the  lad  Words,  There  is  none  righteous  ;  no,  not  one, 
have  no  Relation  at  all  to  that  Univerfality  he  fpeaks  of 
in  the  preceeding  Claufe,  to  which  they  are  join'd,  All 
are  under  Sin  :  and  is  no  more  a  Confirmation  of  it,  than 
if  the  Words  were  thus,  e  There  are  fome,  or  there  are 
many  in  Ifrael,  that  are  not  righteous.' 

2.  To  fuppofc,  theA pottle's  Defign  in  citing  thefePafla- 
ges,  was  only  to  prove  to  the  Jezus,  that  of  old  there  was 
a  confiderable  Number  of  their  Nation  that  were  wicked 
Men,  is  to  fuppofe  him  to  have  gone  about  to 
prove  whet  none  of  the  Jezus  denied,  or  made  the  lead 
Doubt  of.    Even  the  Pharifees,  the  moil  felf-righteous 

Sett 


2*4  ProoffromRom.nl  9,-24.    Part  II. 

Sect  of  them,  who  went  furthefl  in  glorying  in  the  Dis- 
tinction of  their  Nation  from  otherNations,as  a  holy  Peo- 
ple, knew  it,  and  own'd  it  :  they  openly  confefTed  that 
their  Forefathers  killed  the  Prophets ',  Matth.  xxiii.  29, 
30,  31.  And  if  the  Apoflle's  Defign  had  been  only  to 
refrefh  their  Memories  to  put  'em  in  Mind  of  the  antient 
Wickednefs  of  their  Nation,  to  lead  to  Reflection  on  them- 
feives  as  guilty  of  the  like  Wickednefs  (as  Stephen  does, 
Acts  vii.)  what  Need  had  theApoflle  to  go  fo  far  about  to 
prove  this  ;  gathering  up  many  Sentences  here  and  there, 
which  prove  that  their  Scriptures  did  fpeak  of  fome 
as  wicked  Men ;  and  then,  in  the  nextPlace,  to  prove  that 
the  wicked  Men  fpoken  of  mufl  be  of  the  Nation  of  the 
yews,  by  this  Argument,  That  zvhat  things  foever  the 
Law  faith,  it  faith  to  them  that  are  under  the  Law,  or 
that  whatfoever  the  Books  of  the  Old  Teflament  faid,  it 
mud  be  underflood  of  that  People  that  had  the  Old  Tefla- 
ment ?  What  Need  had  the  Apoflle  of  fuch  an  Ambages 
or  Fetch  as  this,  to  prove  to  the  Jews,  that  there  had 
been  many  of  their  Nation  in  fome  of  the  antient  Ages, 
which  were  wicked  Men  ;  when  the  Old  Teflament  was 
full  of  Paflages  that  afTerted  tfrs  expreily,  not  only  of  a 
flrong  Party,  but  of  the  Nation  in  general  ?  How  much 
more  would  it  have  been  to  fuch  a  Purpofe,  to  have  put 
'em  in  Mind  of  the  Wickednefs  of  the  People  in  general, 
in  worshipping  the  golden  Calf,  &  the  Unbelief,  Mumur- 
ing  and  Perverfenefs  of  the  whole  Congregation  in  the 
Wildernefs,  for  forty  Years,  as  Stephen  does  ?  Which 
Things  he  had  no  need  to  prove  to  be  fpoken  of  their 
Nation,  by  any  fuch  indirectArgument,as  that; Whai foever 
Things  the  Law  faith,  it  faith  to  them  that  are  under 
the  Law. 

3.  It  would  have  been  impertinent  to  the  Apoflle's 
Purpofe,  even  as  our  Author  underflands  his  Purpofe,  for 
him  to  have  gone  about  to  convince  the  Jews,  that  there 
had  been  a  flrong  Party  of  bad  Men  in  'David's,  &  Solo- 
mon's, and  the  Prophets  Times.  ForDr.  T.  fnppofes,  the 
Apoflle's  Aim  is  to  prove  the  great  Corruption  of  both 

Jews 


Chap. III.?  All  jn  t]je'tr  firfiStateWicV^A.  2  I  c 

bECT.  II.  3  J  J 

Jews  and  Gentiles  at  that  Day,  when  Chrift  came  into 
the  World  * 

In  order  the  more  fully  to  evade  the  clear  &  abundant 
Teitimonies  to  the  DocVine  of  original  Sin,  contained  in 
thisPart  of  theholyScripture,  our  Author  fays,  The  Apo- 
ftle  is  here  fpeaking  of  Bodies  of  People,  of  Jews  and 
Gentiles  in  a  collective  Senfe,  as  two  great  Bodies  into 
•■ which  Mankind  are  divided  ;  fpeaking  of  them  in  their 
collective  Capacity,  and  not  with  refpe&to  particular  Per- 
fons  ;  that  the  Apoflle's  Deflgn  is  to  prove,  neither  of 
thefe  two  great  collective  Bodies,  in  their  collective  Senfe, 
can  be  juftified  by  Law,  becaufe  both  were  corrupt  ;  and 
fo,that  no  more  is  implied,  than  that  the  Generalicy  of  both 
were  Wicked,  fj     On  this  I  obferve, 

(i .)  That  this  fuppofed  Senfe  difagrees  extremely  with 
the  Terms  and  Language  which  the  Apoftle  here  makes 
ufe  of.  For  according  to  this,  we  mull:  underftand,  either 
Firjl,  that  theApoitle  means  noUniverfality  at  all,  but 
only  the  far  greater  Part.  But  if  the  Words  which  the 
Apoftle  ufes,don't  mod  fully  and  determinately  fignify  an 
Univerfality,  no  Words  ever  ufed  in  the  Bible  are  fuffi- 
cient  to  do  it.  I  might  challenge  any  Man  to  produce 
any  one  Paragraph  in  the  Scripture,  from  the  Beginning 
to  the  End,  where  there  is  fuch  a  Repetition  and  Accu- 
mulation of  Terms,  foftrongly  and  emphatically  and  care- 
fully to  exprefs  the  mod  perfect  &  abfoluteUniverfality  ; 
or  any  Place  to  be  compared  to  it.  What  Inftance  is  there 
in  the  Scripture,  or  indeed  any  other  Writing,  when  the 
Meaning  is  only  the  much  greaterPart,where  thisMeaning 
is  (ignified  in  fuch  a  Manner,  by  repeating  fuch  Expressi- 
ons, They  are  all, — They  are  ally — They  are  all — toge- 
ther,— every  one,—  all  the  World  ;  join d  to  multiplied 
negative  Teems,  to  fhew  the  Univerfality  to  be  without 
Exception  ;  faying,  There  is  no  Flefh, —  there  is  none — 
there  is  none —  there  is  none —  there  is  none  four  times 
over ;  befides  the  Addition  of,  No, not  one, — no, not  one, — 
once  and  again  !  Or 

*  See  Key  %  275,  278.     ||  P.   102^  104,  117,  119,  120.    and 
Note  on  Rom.  ill.  10 19, 


2i6  Proof  J rem  Rom.  iii.  9,-24.  Part  II. 

Or  Secondly,  if  any  Univerfality  at  all  be  allowed,  it  is 
only  of  the  collective  Bodies  fpoken  of  ;  and  thefe  collect- 
ive Bodies  but  two,as  Dr.T.  reckons  them,  viz.  ihejewijh 
Nation,  and  the  Gentile  World  ;  fnppofing  the  A  pottle  is 
here  reprefenting  each  of  thefe  Parts  of  Mankind  as  being 
Wicked.  But  is  this  the  Way  of  Men's  ufing  Language, 
when  fpeaking  of  but  twoThings,  to  exprefs  themfelves  in 
nnherfalTerms,of  fuch  a  Sort,and  in  fuch  a  Manner,  and 
when  they  mean  no  more  than  that  the  Thing  affirm'd  is 
predicated  of  both  of  them?  If  a  Man  fpeaking  of  his 
two  Feet  as  both  lame,  fhould  fay,  All  my  Feet  are  lame, 
They  are  all  lame.  All  together  are  become  weak,  None 
of  my  Feet  are  ftrong,  None  of  them  are  found  ;  No,  not 
one  ;  would  not  he  be  thought  to  be  lame  in  his  Under- 
ftanding,  as  well  as  his  Feet  ?  When  the  Apottle  fays, 
Vjhat  every  Mouth  may  be  flopped,  mutt  we  fuppofe,that 
he  fpeaks  only  of  thofe  two  great  collective  bodies,  figura- 
tively afcribing  to  each  of  them  a  Mouth,  and  mean  that 
thofe  two  Mouths  are  flopped  ! 

And  befides,  according  to  ourAuthor's  own  Interpreta- 
tion, the  univerfal  Terms  ufed  in  thefe  Texts  cited  from 
the  old  Teftament,  have  no  refpect  to  thofe  two  great  col- 
lective Bodies,  nor  indeed  to  either  of  them  ;  but  tofome 
in  Ifrael,  a  particular  disaffected  Party  in  that  one  Nation, 
which  was  made  up  of  wickedMen.  So  that  his  Interpre- 
tation is  every  way  abfurd  and  mconfiflent. 

(2.)  If  the  A  pottle  i?  fpeaking  only  of  the  Wickednefs 
or  Guilt  of  great  collective  Bodies,  then  it  will  follow, 
that  alfo  the  Juftification  he  here  treats  of,is  no  other  than 
the  Juftificationof  fuch  col le&iveBodies.  For,  they  are 
the  fame  he  fpeaks  of  as  guilty  and  wicked,  that  he  argues 
cannot  bejuftijzed  by  the  Works  of  the  Law,  by  Reafon 
of  their  being  JVkked.  Otherwife  his  Argument  is  whol- 
ly difanr.uPd.  If  the  Guilt  he  fpeaks  of  be  only  of  col- 
lective Bodies,  then  what  he  argues  from  that  Guilt,  mutt 
be  only,  that  collective  Bodies  cannot  be  juflified  by  the 
"Works  of  the  Law,  having  no  Refpect  to  the  Juftification 
of  particular  ferfons.  And  indeed  this  is  Dr.  T—r's  de- 
clared 


Chap.iii^  aji  in  their  fir/lStateWicked.  tin 

Sect.  If.  S  J 

clared  Opinion.     He  fuppofes,  the  Apoftle  here,  and  in  o- 

the'r  Parts  of  this  Epiftle,  is  fpeaking  of  Men's  Juftification 

confidered  only  as  in  their  colleclive  Capacity. \     But  the 
contrary  is  mod:  manifeft.     The  26th  and  28th  Verfesof 
this  thirdChapter  can't,without  the  utmoftViolence,be  un- 
derftood  othervvife  than  of  the  Justification   of  particular 
Perfons.   That  he  might  be  juflland  theyuflifier  of  HIM 
that  believeth  in  Jefus. — Therefore  we  conclude  that  A 
MAN  is  juflif.ed  by  Faith, without  theDeeds  of  the  Law. 
So  Chap.  iv.  5.  But  to  HIM  that  worketh  not,    but  be- 
lieveth on  him  that  jufiineth  the  ungodly,  HIS  Faith  is 
counted  for  Righteoufnefs.     And  what  the  Apoftle  cites  in 
the  6,  7,  &  8th Verfes from  the  Book  of  Pfalms,evidently 
fhews,  that  he  is  fpeaking  of  the  Juftification  of  particular 
Perfons.      Even  as  David  alfo  defcribeih  theBlejfednefs  of 
THE  MAN  unto  who  n   God  imputeth  Righteoufnefs 
zvithout  TVorks,  faying,  Blefed  are  they  zvhofe  Iniquities 
arc  forgiven,  and  whofe  Sins   are  covered.     'David  fays 
thefcThingsinthe  32dPfalm,  with  a  fpecial  refpeft  to  his 
own  particular  Cafe  ;  there  exprelling  the  great  Diitrefs  he 
was  in,  while  under  a  Senfe  of  theGuilt  of  his  perfonal  Sin, 
and  the  great  joy  he  had  whenGod  forgavehim;  asiny.3,4. 
And  then,"  it  is  very  plain  in  that  Paragraph  of  the  third 
Chapter,  which  we  have  been  upon,    that  it  is  the  Juftifi- 
cation of  particular  Perfons  that  the  Apoftle  fpeaks  of,by 
that  Place  in  the  Old  Teftament,which  he  refers  to  in  \  20. 
Therefore    by   the  T>eeds  of  the  Lazv,  there     (ball  no 
Flefh  bejuflified  in  his  Sight.  He  refers  to  that  in  Pfal.cxliii.- 
Enter  not  into  Judgment  with  thy  Servant  ;  for  in  thy 
Sight  '-all  NO  MAN  LIFING  be  juftijed.     Here 
the  Pfalmift  is  not  fpeaking  of  the  Juftification  of  a  Nation, 
as  a  colie&ive  Body,   or  of  one  of   the  two  Parts  of  the 
World  but  of  a  particular  Man.     And  'tis  further  mani- 
feft,  that  the  Apoftle  is  here  fpeaking  of  perfonal   Juftifi- 
cation, in-as-much  as  this  Place  is  evidently  parallel  with 
that,  Gal.  iii.  to,  11.  For  as  many  as  are  of  the  IForks  of 

V  the 


t  Sec  Note  on  Rom.  iii.  10,-19.  and  on  Chap.  v.n.  and  on 
Chap.  ix.  30,  31.    anu  on  Chap,  xi.  31. 


2i8  Proof  from  Rom.  iii.  9, — 24.  Part  IL 

the  Law,  ar?  under  the  Curfe  :  for  it  is  written,  Cur  fed 
is  EVERT  ONE  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  that 
are  written  in  the  Book  o  the  Law  to  do  them.  Bui  that 
NO  MAN  is  juflified  by  the  Works  of  the  Law,  is  evi- 
dent ;  for  the  jufl  Jhall  live  by  Faith,  It  is  plain,  that 
this  Place  is  parallel  with  that  in  the  3d  of  Romans,  not 
only  as  the  Thing  a  ferted  is  the  fame,  and  the  Argument 
by  which  it  is  proved  here,  is  the  fame  as  xheve,viz. that  all 
are  guilty,  and  expofed  to  be  condemned  by  the  Law ; 
But  the  fame  Saying  of  the  Old  Teftament  is  cited  here 
in  the  Beginning  of  this  Difcourfe  in  Galatians.  (Chap, 
i.  16.)  And  many  other  Things  demonflrate,  that  the  A* 
poftle  is  fpeaking  of  the  fame  Juflification  in  both  Places, 
which  I  omit  for  Brevity's  fake. 

And  befides  all  thefe  Things,  our  Author's  Interpre- 
tation makes  the  Apoftle's  Argument  wholly  void  a* 
nother  Way.  The  Apoftle  is  fpeaking  of  a  certain  Sub- 
ject, which  cannot  be  juflified  by  the  Works  of  the  Law; 
and  his  Argument  is  that,  that  fame  Subject  is  guilty,  and 
is  condemned  by  the  Law.  If  he  means,that  one  Subject, 
fuppofe  a  collective  Body  or  Bodies,  can't  be  juftifled  by 
the  Law,  becaufe  another  Subject,another  collective  Body, 
is  condemned  by  the  Law,  'tis  plain,  the  Argument  would 
be  quite  vain  and  impertinent.  Yet  thus  the  Argument 
muft  ftand  according  to  Dr.  "T — r's  Interpretation.  The 
collective  Bodies,which  he  fuppofes  are  fpoken  of  as  wick- 
ed, and  condemned  by  the  Law,  confidered  as  in  their 
collective  Capacity,  are  thofe  two,  the  Jezuifh  Nation,  and 
the  heathen  World  :  But  the  collective  Body  which  he 
fuppofes  the  A  poftle  fpeaks  of  as  juflified  without  the 
Deeds  of  the  Law,  is  neither  of  thefe,  but  the  Chriftian 
Church,  or  Body  of  Believers ;  which  is  a  new  collective 
Body,  a  new  Creature,  and  a  new  Man,  (according  to  our 
Author's  underftanding  of  fuch  Fhrafes)  which  never  had 
any  Exiftence  before  it  was  juftifled,  and  therefore  never 
was  wicked  or  condemned,  unlefs  it  was  with  regard  to  the 
Individuals,  of  which  it  was  conftituted  :  and  it  does  not 
appear,  according  to  our  Author's  Scheme,  that  thefe  In- 
dividuals 


SeHctP'ii1'^  A^  in  f^eirfirfi  StaU Wicked.  219 

dividuals  had  before  been  generally  wicked.  For  accord- 
ing  to  him  there  was  a  Number  both  among  the^i^r  and 
Gentiles,  that  were  righteous  before.  And  how  does  it 
appear,  but  that  the  comparatively  few  Jezvs  &  Gentiles, 
of  which  this  new-created  collective  Body  was  conftituted, 
were  chiefly  of  the  bed  of  e^ch  ? 

So  that  in  every  View  this  Author's  way  of  explain- 
ing this  Paflage  in  the  third  of  Romans,  appears  vain  and 
abfurd.  And  fo  clearly  and  fully  has  theApoftle  exprefs'd 
himfelf,  that  'tis  doubt lefs  impofTible  to  invent  any  other 
Senfe  to  put  upon  his  Words,  than  that  which  will  imply, 
that  all  Mankind,  even  every  Individual  of  the  whole 
Race  but  theirRedeemer  Himfelf,  are  in  their  hVft  original 
State  corrupt  and  wicked. 

Before  I  leave  this  Paftage  of  the  Apoftle,  it  may  be 
proper  to  obferve,  that  it  not  only  is  a  moft  clear,  and  full 
Teftimony  to  the  native  Depravity  of  Mankind,  but  alfb 
plainly  declares  that  natural  Depravity  to  be  total  and 
exceeding  great.  'Tis  the  Apoftle' s  manifeft  Defign  in 
thefe  Citations  from  the  Old  Teftament,  to  fhew  thefe 
three  Things,  i .  That  all  Mankind  are  by  Nature  cor- 
rupt. 2.  That  every  one  is  altogether  corrupt,  and  as  it 
were,  depraved  in  every  Part.  g.  That  they  are  in  ev#ry 
Part  corrupt  in  an  exceeding  Degree. — With  refpect  to  the 
fecond  of  thefe,  that  every  one  is  wholly,  and  as  it  were 
in  every  Part  corrupt,  'tis  plain,  the  Apoftle  chufes  out, 
and  puts  together  thofe  particular  PafTages  of  the  old  Tefta- 
ment, wherein  mod  of  thofe  Members  of  the  Body  are 
mentioned,  that  are  the  Soil's  chief  Inftruments  or  Organs 
of  external  A&ion.  The  Hands  (implicitly)  in  thofe  Ex* 
preiTions,  "They  are  together  become  unprofitable,  There  is 
none  that  doeth  good.  The  Throat,  Tongue,  Lips  and 
Mouth,  the  Organs  of  Speech  ;  in  thofe  Words,  Their 
Throat  »>  an  openSepulchre  :  with  theirT on ffiQS  they  have 
ufed  Deceit  :  The  Poifon  of  Afps  is  under  their  Lips  ; 
w/^Mouth  is  full  of  Curfing  and  Bitternefs.  TheFeet, 
in  thofe  Words,  f.  1 5.  Their  Feet  are  fwift  to  Jbed  Blood. 
Thefe  Things  together  fignify,  that  Man  is  as  it  were  all 

V  2  over 


2  20  Proof  from  Rom.  v.  6, —  ic.  Part  II. 

ever  corrupt,  in  every  Part.  And  not  only  is  the  total 
Corruption  thus  intimated,by  enumerating  the  feveralParts, 
but  by  denying  of  all  Good  ;  any  true  Underftanding  or 
fpiritual  Knowledge,  any  virtuous  Action,  or  fo  much  as 
truly  vinuous  Defire,  or  feeking  after  God.  There  is 
none  that  underitanderh  ;  There  is  -none  that  feeketh  after 
Cxod  :  There  is  none  that  doth  Good  ;  The  Way  of  Peace 
have  they  not  known.  And  in  generally  den-yingall  true 
Piety  or  Religion  in  Men,  in  their  firfl  State,  f.  i  8'.  There 
h  no  Fear  of  God  before  their  Eyes. — The  ExprefTions 
alfo  are  evidently  chofen  to  denote  a  moil:  extreme  &  def- 
perate  Wickednefs  of  Heart.  An  exceeding  Depravity  is 
afcribed  to  every  Part :  to  the  Throat,  the  Scent  of  an  open 
Sepulchre  ;  to  the  Tongue  and  Lips,  deceit  and  thePoi- 
fori  of  Afps  ;  to  the  Mouth,  Curfing  and  Bitternefs  ;  of 
their  Feet  it  is  faid,  they  are  fwift  to  Jhed  Blood  :  And 
with  regard  to  the  whole  Man,  'tis  faid,  T)eftruftion  and 
JVlifery  are  in  their  Ways.  The  Reprefentation  is  very 
flrong,  of  each  of  thefe  Things,  viz.  That  all  Mankind 
are  corrupt  ;  that  every  one  is  wholly,  and  altogether  cor- 
rupt ;  and  alfo  extremely  and  defperately  corrupt.  And 
it  is  plain,  'tis  not  accidental,  that  we  have  here  fuch 
a  Collection  of  fuch  flrong  ExprefTions,  fo  emphatically 
fignifying  thefe  Things ;  but  that  they  are  chofen  of  the 
Apoftle  on  Dtfign,  as  being  directly  and  fully  to  his  Pur- 
pofe  ;  which  Purpofe  appears  in  all  his  Difcourfe  in  the 
whole  of  this  Chapter,  and  indeed  from  the  Beginning  of 
th    Epiftle. 


Sect.     III. 

Obfervations  on  Rom.  v.  6, to.  and  Eph.  ii.  3. 

imth  the  Context^  and  Rom.  vii. 

A  Nether  PafTage  of  this  Apoftle  in  the  fame  Epiftle  to 
the  Romans,  which  fhews  tint  all  that  are  made 
partakers  of  the  Benefits  of  ChrifVs  Redemption,  are  in 
their  firft  State  wicked  and  defperately  wicked,  is  that, 

Chap. 


Chap.iii.-)  au  in  their  firjl  State  Wicked.  221 

Chap.  v.    6, 10.     For  when    we   were  yet  without 

Strength,  in  due  Time  Chrift  died  for  the  Ungodly.  For 
fcarcely  for  a  righteous  Man  will  one  die  ;  yet  per  adven- 
ture for  a  'good  Man,  fome  would  even  dare  to  die.  But 
God  commendeth  his  Love  towards  us,  in  that  while  we 
were  yet  Sinners,  Chrift  died  for  us.  Much  more  then, 
being  now  juflified  by  his  Blood,  we  Jhall  be  faved  from 
Wrath  through  him.  For  if  zvhile  we  were  Enemies,  we 
were  reconciled  to  God  through  the  Death  of  his  Son  ; 
much  more,  being  reconciled,  we  [hall  be  fared  by  his  Life. 

Here  all  that'Chrift  died  for,  and  that  are  faved  by  him, 
are  fpoken  of  as  being  in  their  firit  State  Sinners,  Ungod- 
ly, Enemies  to  God,  expo  fed  to  divine  Wrath,  and  with" 
out  Strength',  without  Ability  to  help  themfelves,or  deliver 
their  Souls  from  this  miferable  State. 

D.  T.  fays,  TheApoftle  here  fpeaks  of  xhtG entiles  only 
in  their  hgathen  State,  in  ContradiftincYion  to  the  Jews  ;. 
and  that  not  of  particular  Perfons  among  the  heathen  Gen- 
tiles, or  as  to  the  State  they  were  in  perfonally  ;  but  only 
of  the  Gentiles  colleclhely  ta  en,  or  of  the  miferable  State 
of  that  great  collective  Body,  the  heathen  World  :  And 
that  thefe  Appellations,  Sinners,  Ungodly,  Enemies,  &e. 
were  Names  by  which  the  Apoflles  in  their  Writings  were 
wont  to  fignify  and  diilinguifh  the  heathen  World,  in  Op- 
pofition  to  the  Jews  ;  and  that  in  this  Senfe  thefe  Appel- 
lations are  to  be  taken  in  their  Epiflles,  and  in  this  Place 
in  particular.*  And  'tis  obfervable,  that  truYY/ay  of  in- 
terpreting thefePhrafes  in  the  apoftolick  Writings,  is  become 
fafhionable  with  many  late  Writers  ;  whereby  they-  not 
only  evade  feveral  clear  Teftimonies  to  the  Doctrine  of 
original  Sin,  but  make  void  great  Part  of  the  New  Tefta- 
ment  ;  on  which  Account  it  deferves  the  more  particular 
Confideration.    ' 

'Tis  allowed  to  have  been  long  common  and  cuftbmary 
among  the  Jews,  in  Chrifi's  and  the  Apoftles  Days,  es- 
pecially 

*  P.   114, 120.  See  alfo  Dr.    T— r's  Pharaph.  and  Notes 

on  the  Place. 


222  Prcof  from  Rom.  v.  6, —  io,  Part  II, 

pecially  thofe  of  the  Se£l  of  xhePhartfees,  in  their  Pride, 
and  Confidence  in  their  Privileges  as  the  peculiar  People 
of  God,  to  exalt  themfelves  exceedingly  above  other  Na- 
tions, and  greatly  to  defpife  the  Gentiles,  and  call  them 
by  fuch  Names  as  Sinners,  Enemies,  'Dogs,  &c.  as 
Notes  of  DiftincYion  from  themfelves,  whom  they  ac- 
counted in  general  (excepting  the  Publicans  and  the  notor 
rioufly  profligate)  as  the  Friends,  fpecial  Favourites,  and 
Children  of  God  ;  becaufe  they  were  the  Children  of 
.Abraham,  were  circumcifed,  and  had  the  Law  of  Mofes, 
as  their  peculiar  Privilege,  and  as  a  Wall  of  Partition  be- 
tween them  and  the  Gentiles. 

But  it  is  very  remarkable,  that  a  ChriiYian  Divine,  who 
has  ftudied  the  new  Teftament,  and  the  Epiftle  to  the 
Romans  in  particular,  fo  diligently  as  Dr.  T, — fhould  be 
ftrong  in  an  Imagination,  that  the  Apoftlesof  Jefus  Chrifl 
fhould  fo  far  countenance,and  do  fo  much  to  cherifh  thefe 
felf-exalting,  uncharitable  Difpofitipns  and  Notions  of  the 
jfewsy  which  gave  Rife  to  fuch  a  Cuftom,  as  to  fall  in 
with  that  Cuftom,  and  adopt  that  Language  of  their  Pride 
and  Contempt  ;  and  efpecially  that  the.  Apoftle  Paul 
fhould  do  it.  'Tis  a  moft  unreafonable  Imagination,  on 
many  Accounts. 

I.  The  wholeGofpel-Difpenfation  is  calculated  entirely 
to  overthrow  &  abolifh  every  thing  to  which  this  felf-diftin- 
guilhing,  felf-exalting  Language  of  the  Jews  was  owing. 
It  was  calculated  wholly  to  exclude  fuch  Boafting,  and  to 
deftroy  that  Pride  and  Self-Righteoufnefs,  that  were  the 
Caufes  of  it  :  It  was  calculated  to  aboiiih  the  Enmity, and 
break  down  the  Partition- Wall  between  Jews  &  Gentiles, 
and  of  Twain  to  make  one  new  Man,  Jo  making  Peace  ; 
to  deftroy  all  Difpofitions  in  Nations  and  particular  Per- 
fons  to  defpife  one  another,or  to  fay  one  to  another, Stand 
by  thy/elf,  come  not  near  to  me,  for  lam  holier  than  Thou  \ 
and  to  eftablifh  the  contrary  Principles  of  Humility,  mu- 
tual Efteem,  Honour  and  Love,  and  univerfal  Union,  in 
the  moft  firm  and  perfeft  Manner. 

2.  Chrift, 


s^T-'tS"]  Al1  in  their M ' StateWv&sA.  223 

2.  Chrift,  when  on  Earth,  fet  himfelf,  through  the 
Courfe  of  his  Miniftry,  to  militate  againft  this  Pharifaical 
Spirit  Practice  and  Language  of  the  Jews  ;  appearing  in 
fuch  Reprefentations,  Names  and  Epithets,  fo  cuftomary 
among  them  ;  by  which  they  fliew'd  fo  much  Contempt  of 
the  Gentiles,  Publicans,  and  fuch  as  were  openly  lewd 
and  vicious,  and  fo  exalted  themfelves  above  them  ;  call- 
ing them  Sinners  and  Enemies,  and  themfelves  Holy  and 
God^s  Children  j  not  allowing  the  Gentile  to  be  their 
Neighbour,  &c.  He  condemned  the  Pharifees  for  not 
efteeming  themfelves  Sinners,  as  well  as  the  Publican^ 
trufting  in  themfelves  that  they  were  righteous,  and  de- 
fpifing  others.  He  militated  againft  thefe  things  in  his  own 
Treatment  of  fome  Gentiles,  Publicans  and  others,  whom 
they  called  Sinners,  and  in  what  he  faid  on  thofe  Occa- 
fions.*  He  oppofed  thefe  Notions  and  Manners  of  the 
Jews  in  his  Parables  ;  f  and  in  hislnftru&ions  to  hisDifci- 
ples  how  to  treat  the  unbelieving  Jews ;  |)  and  in  what  he 
lays  to  Nicodemus  about  the  Neceffity  of  a  New- 
Birth,  even  for  the  Jews,  as  well  as  the  unclean 
Gentiles  with  Regard  to  their  Profelytifm,  which  fome  of 
the  Jews  looked  upon  as  a  new  Birth  •,  And  in  Oppofi« 
tion  to  their  Notions  of  their  being  the  Children  of  God, 
becaufe  the  Children  of  .Abraham,  but  the  Gentiles  by 
Nature  Sinners  and  Children  of  Wrath,  he  tells  them  that 
even  they  were  Children  of  the  Devil.  % 

3.  Tho' 

•       — ■ — -^-     •  1  — — , 

*  Matth.  viii.  5,--i3.Chap.ix.  9,-13.  Chap.xi.  1 9,-24. Luk. 

vii.  37,  to  the  End.  Chap.  xvii.  12,-19.  Chap.xix.  1,— 10. 

Matt.  xv.  21,-28.  Joh.  iv.  9,  &c.  ver.  39,  &c.  Compare 

Luk.  x.  29,  &c. 
f  Matt.  xxi.  28,— -2.  Chap,  xxii.i,— 10.  Luk.xiv.  16,-24. 

Compare  Luk.  xiii.  28,29,30. 
(I  Matt.  x.  r4,  15. 
t  Joh.  viii.  33,-44. 
It  may  alfo  be  obferved,  that  John  the  Baptijl  greatly  contra- 

di&ed  the  7*wOpinion  of  Themfelves,  as  being  a  holyPeo- 

ple,  and  accepted  of  God,  becaufe  they  were  the  Children 

of 


224  Proof  from  Rom.  v.  6,-~  to.  Part  II. 

3.  Tho'  we  mould  fuppofe  the  Apofrles  not  to  have 
been  thoroughly  brought  off  from  fuch  Notions,  Manners 
and  Language  of  the  Jews,  till  after  Chrift's  Afcenfion  ; 
yet  after  the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  on  the  Day  of  Pen-* 
recoil,  or  at  leaif,  after  the  Calling  of  the  Gentiles, .begun 
in  the  Converfion  of  Cornelius,  they  were  fully  indocfri-= 
nated  in  this  Matter,  and  effectually  taught  no  longer  to 
call  the  Gentiles  Unclean,  as  a  Note  of  DiflincYion  from 
the  Jews  (Acfx.24.)  which  was  before  any  oftheApolto- 
lic  Epiftles  were  written. 

4.  Of  all  the  Apoflles  none  were  more  perfectly  in- 
Unified  in  this  Matter,  and  none  fo  abundant  in  in{lrucl> 
ing  others  in  it,  as  Paul,xh%  great  Apoftle  of  xheG  entiles. 
He  had  Abundance  to  do  in  this  Matter  :  None  of  the  A- 
poftles  had  Co  much  Occafion  to  exert  themfelves  again!! 
the  foremention'd  Notions  and  Language  of  the  Jezvs,  in 
Oppofition  to  Jewijb  Teachers,  zhdjudaiz'zng  Chriflians, 
that  (trove  to  keep  up  the  Separation~Wall  between  Jews 
and  Gentiles,  and  to  exalt  the  former,  and  fet  the  latter 
at  nought. 

5.  This  Apoflle  does  efpecially  drive  in  this  Matter  in 
this  Epiftle  to  the  Romans,  above  all  his  other  Writings  ; 
exerting  himfelf  in  a  mod  elaborate  Manner,  and  with  his 
utmoit  Skill  and  Power  to  bring  the  Jewijb  Chriftians  off 
from  every  thing  of  thisKind;  endeavouring  by  all  Means, 
that  there  might  no  longer  be  in  them  anyRemains  of  thefe 
old  Notions  they  had  been  educated  in,  of  fuch  a  great 
DiftincYion  between  Jews  and  Gentiles,  as  were  expreffed 
in  the  Names  they  ufed  to  diflinguiili  them  by,  calling  the 

Jews 

of  Abraham,  and  on  that  Account  better  than  the  Heathen, 
whom  they  called  Sinners,  Enemies,  Unclean,  &c.  in  bap* 
tizing  the  Jews  as  a  polluted  People  and  Sinners,  as  the  Jews 
ufed  to  baptize  Prolelytes  horn  among  theHeathen  ;calling; 
them  to  Repentance  as  Sinners,  faying,  Think  not  to  fay  zviihin 
ycurjefoes,  We  tawAbraham  to  our  Father  ;  for  1  fay  unto  you, 
tbatGod  is  able,  of  thefe  Stones,  tojfmfe  upChilaren  unto  Abraham  ; 
and  teaching  the  Phanje.es,  that  inftead  of  their  being,  a  holy 
Generation  and  Children  ot  God,  as  they  called  themfelves, 
were  a  Generav.m  of  Vipers. 


sEHcTPi!iL  } A^  in  dwrfirft  $tate  Wicked.  225 

Jews  holy,  Children  of  Abraham,  Friends  and  Children 
of  God ,  but  the  Gentiles  Sinners,  Unclean,  Enemies,  and 
the  like.  He  makes  it  almoft  his  whole  Bufinefs;  from 
the  Beginning  of  the  Epiille,  to  this  PafTage  in  the  5th 
Chapter  which  we  are  upon,  to  convince  them  that  there 
was  no  Ground  for  any  fuch  Diftinclion,and  to  prove  that 
in  common,both  Jevjs  and  Gentiles,  all  were  defperately 
wicked,  and  none  righteous,  no, not  one.  He  tells  them, 
Chap.  iii.  9.  that  the  Jews  were  by  no  Means  better 
than  the  Gentiles  ;  and  (in  what  follows  in  that  Chapter) 
that  there  was  no  Difference  between  Jews  and  Gentiles  ; 
and  reprefents  all  as  without  Strength,  or  an^  Sufficiency 
of  their  own  in  the  Affair  of  Juftification  &  Redemption  : 
A  nd  in  the  Continuation  of  the  fame  Difcourfe,in  the  4th 
Chapter,  teaches  that  all  that  were  juftified  bydrift,were 
in  tbenifelves  ungodly  ;  and  that  being  the  Children  of 
•Abraham  was  not  peculiar  to  th$Jews.  In  this  5th  Chap, 
fiiil  in  Continuation  of  the  fame  Difcourfe,  on  the  fame 
Subject,  and  Argument  of  Juftification  thro'  drift,  and  by 
Faith  in  him,  he  fpeaks  of  drift's  dying  for  the  Uwodly 
and  Sinners,  .and  thofe  that  were  without  Strength  or 
Sufficiency  far  their  own  Salvation,  as  he  had  done  all 
along  before.  But  now,  it  feems,  theApoftle  by  Sinners 
and  ungodly  muft  not  be  underftood  according  as  he  ufed 
thefe  Words  before  ;  but  muft  be  fuppofed  to  mean  only 
the  Gentiles,  as  diitinguifhed  from  the  Jews  ;  adopting  the 
Language  of  thofe  felf-righteous,  felf-exalting,  difdainful 
Judaizing  Teachers,  whom  he  was  with  all  hisMight  op- 
pofing  :  Countenancing  the  very  fame  thing  in  them,  wbi  ;h 
he  had  been  from  the  Beginning  of  the  Epiille  discounte- 
nancing, and  endeavouring  to  difcourage,  and  utterly -to 
abolilh,with  all  his  Art  and  Strength. 

One  Reafon,  why  the  Jews  looked  on  themfelves  better 
than  the  Gentiles, and  called  themfelves  holy. and  the  Gen- 
tiles Sinners,  was,that  they  had  theLaw  ofMofes.  They 
made  their  Boajl  of  the  Law.  But  the  Apoftle  fliews 
them,  that  this  was  fo  far  from  making  them  better,  that 
it  condemned  them,  and  was  an  Occafion  of  their  being 

X  Sinners. 


226   Proof  from  Rom.  v,  6,—  io.   Part  II. 

Sinners  in  a  higher  Degree,and  more  aggravated  Manner, 
and  more  effectually  and  dreadfully  dead  in  and  by  Sin, 

Chap  yii.  4, 13.  agreable  to  thofe  Words  of  Chrifr, 

Job.  v.  45. 

It  can't  be  juftly  objected  here,  that  this  Apoflle  did  in- 
deed ufe  this  Language,  and  call  the  Gentiles  Sinners,  in 
Contradiflinction  to  the  Jews,  in  what  he  laid  to  Peter^ 
which  he  himfelf  gives  an  Account  of  in  Gral.ii.15, 1 6.  We 
who  are  Jews  by  Nature  .and 'not  Sinners  of  the  Gentiles, 
knowing  that  a  Man  is  not  julijied  by  the  Works  of  the 
Law,  but  by  Faith  in  Jefus  Chrift.  'Tistrue,  that  the 
Atoflie  here  refers  to  this  Diflinction,  as  what  was  ufual-ly 
made,  by  the  felf-righteous  Jews,  between  themfelves  and 
the  Gentiles  ;  but  not  in  fuch  a  Manner  as  to  adopt,  or 
favour  it  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  fo  as  plainly  to  mew  his 
Difapprobation  of  it ';  q.d.  'Tho  we  were  born  Jews&A 
by  Nature  are  of  that  Feople  which  are  wont  to  make 
their  Boaft  of  the  Law,  expecting  to  be  justified  by  it,  and 
tiuft  in  themfelves  that  they  are  righteous. defpifing  others, 
calling  theGentileS;S//27Z£7\f,in  Diflinction  from  themfelves; 
yet  we  being  now  inflructed  in  theGofpel  of  Chrift,  know 
better  ;  we  now  knew,  that  a  Man  is  not  justified  by  the 
Works  of  theLaw  ;  that  we  are  all  juflified  only  by  Faith 
in  Chrift, m  whom  there  is  no  Difference,  no  Diflinction  of 
Greek  or  Gentile,  and  Jew,bvtd\\  are  one  in  Chrift  Jefus.' 
And  this  is  the  very  thing,  he  there  fpeaks  of,  which 
he  blamed  Peter  for;  that  by  his  withdrawing  and  fepara- 
ting  himfelf  from  the  Gentiles,  refufmg  to  eat  with  them 
&c.  he  had  countenanced  this  felf-exalting,  felf-diitin- 
guifhing,  feparating  Spirit  and  Cuflom  of  the,  Jews, where- 
by they  treated  the  Gentiles,  as  in  a  diftinguiihing  manner 
Sinners  and  Unclean,  and  not  fie  to  come  near  them  who 
were  a  holy  People. 

6.  The  Words  themfelves  of  the  Apoftle  in  this  Place, 
ihew  plainly,  that  he  here  ufes  the  Word,  Sinners,  not  as 
fignifying  Gentiles,  in  Opposition  to  Jews, hut  as  denoting 
the  morally  evil,  in  Oppofition  to  fuch  as  are  righteous 
or  good  :  "becaufc  this  latter  Oppofition  or  Diflinction  be- 
tween 


Chap  III  ?  A\\  fa  fafr  frft  StateWkkcd.  2  2  7 

bECT.  111.    .)  J  I 

tween  Sinners  and  Righteous  is  here  expreVd  in  plain 
Terms.  "  Scarcely  for  a  righteous  Man  will  one  die  ;  yet 
'• "  perad  venture  for  a  good  Man  forrie  would  even  dare  to 
!C  die  :  But  God  commended  his  Love  towards  us,  in 
"  that  while  v/e  were  yet  Sinners,  Chrift  died  for  us." 
By  righteous  Men  are  doubtlefs  meant  the  fame  that  are 
meant  by  fueri  a  Phrafe,thronghout  this  Apoftle's  Writings, 
and  throughout  the  New-Teftamcnt,  and  throughout  the 
Bible.  Will  any  one  pretend,  that  by  the  righteous  Man, 
whom  Men  would  fcarcely  die  for,  and  by  the  good  Man, 
that  perhaps  fome  might  even  dare  to  die  for,  is  meant  a 
Jew  ?  Dr.  CT.  himfelf  don't  explain  it  fo,  in  his  Expofi- 
tion  of  this  Epiftle  ;  and  therefore  is  not  very  confident 
with  himfelf,  in  fuppbfing,  that  in  the  other  Part  of  the 
Diftinclion  the  Apoftle  means  Gentiles,  as  diftinguifhed 
from  the  Jews.  The  Apoftle  himfelf  had  been  labouring 
abundantly,  in  the  preceeding  Part  of  the  Epiftle,to  prove 
that  the  Jews  were  Sinners  in  this  Senfe,  namely  in  Op- 
pofition  to  righteous  ;  That  all  had  finned,  that  all  were 
under  Sin,  and  therefore  could  not  bejuftified,  could  not 
be  accepted  as  righteous,  by  their  own  Righteoufnefs. 

7.  Another  thing  which  makes  it  evident,that  theApoftle 
when  he  fpeaks  in  this  Place  of  the  Sinners  and  Enemies 
which  Chrift  died  for,  don't  mean  only  the  Gentiles,  is,that 
lie  includes  himfelf  among  them,  faying,  while  TVE  tuere 
Sinners,  and  vthen  IF^E  zvere  Enemies. 

Our  Author  from  Time  to  Time  fays,  The  Apoftle, 
tho'  he  fpeaks  only  of  the  Gentiles  in  their  Heathen  State, 
yet  put  s  hi-  f elf  with  them,  becaufe  he  was  the  Apoflle  of 
the  Gentiles.  But  this  is  very  violent  and  unreafonable. 
There  is  no  more  Senfe  in  it,  than  there  would  be  in  a 
Father's  ranking  himfelf  among  his  Children, when  fpeak- 
ing  to  his  Children  of  the  Benefits  they  have  by  being  be- 
gotten by  himfelf;  and  faying,  We  Children —  :  Or  in 
a  Phyfician's  ranking  Himfelf  with  his  Patients,  when 
talking  to  them  of  their  Difeafes  and  Cure  ;  faying,  TVe 
fick  Folk's. — Paul's  being  the  Apoftle  of  the  Gentiles,  to 
fave  ?em  from  their  Heathenifm,  is  Ho  far  from  being  a 
X  2  Reafon 


228   Proof  from  Rom.  V.  6,— 1  o.    Part  II. 

Reafon  for  him  to  reckon  himfelf  among  theHeathen,that 
on  the  contrary,  'tis  the  very  thing  that  would  render  it 
in  a  peculiar  Manner  unnatural  and  abfurd  for  him  fo  to 
do.  Becaufe,  as  the  Apoftle  of  the  Gentiles,  he  appears 
as  their  Healer  and  Deliverer  from  Heathenifm ;  and 
therefore  in  that  Capacity  does  in  a  peculiar  Manner  ap- 
pear in  his  Diftin&ion  from  the  Heathen,  and  in  Qppofi- 
tion  to  the  State  of  Heathenifm.  For  'tis  by  the  mod: 
oppofite  Qualities  only,  that  he  is  fitted  to  be  an  Apoitle 
of  the  Heathen, and  Recoverer  fromHeathenifm,  As  the 
clear  Light  of  the  Sun  is  the  Thing  which  makes  it  a 
properRenorative  from  Darknefs ;  and  therefcre,the  Sun's 
being  fpoken  of  as  fuch  a  Remedy,none  would  fuppofe  to 
be  a  good  Reafon  why  it  iliould  be  ranked  with  Darknefs, 
or  among  dark  Things.  And  befides  (which  makes  this 
Suppofition  of  Dr.  T—rs  appear  more  violent)  the  A- 
poftle,  in  this  Epiftle,  does  expreily  rank  himfelf  with  the 
Jezvs,  when  he  fpeaks  of  them  as  diftinguifhed  from  the 
Gentiles ;  as  inChap/iii.o./Fito  then  f  are  WE  better  than 
They  ?  That  is,  are  we  Jews  better  than  the  Gentiles? 
It  can't  juftly  be  alledged  in  Oppofition  to  this,  that  the 
ApoRle  Peter  puts  himfelf  with  the  Heathen,  i  Pet.iv  3. 
For  the  Time  pa  ft  of  OUR  Life  may  fuffice  US  to  hare 
wrought  the  Will  of  the  Gentiles ;  when  WE  walked  in 
Lafcivioifnefs,  Lifts,  Excefs  of  Wine,  Reviling,  Ban- 
quetings,  &  abominable  Idolatries.  For  theApoftleP^r 
(who  by  theWay  was  not  an  Apoftle  of  the  Gentiles)  here 
don't  fpeak  of  himfelf  as  one  of  the  Heathen,  but  as  one 
cf  the  Church  of  Chrift  in  general,  made  up  of  thofe  that 
had  been  Jezvs,  Profelytes  and  Heathen,  who  now  were 
all  one  Body,  of  which  Body  he  was  a  Member.  'Tis 
this  Society  therefore,  and  not  the  Gentiles,  that  he 
refers  to  in  the  Pronoun  US.  He  is  fpeaking  of  the  Wick- 
cdnefs  that  the  Members  of  this  Body  or  Society  had  lived 
in  before  their  Converfion  :  not  that  every  Member  had 
lived  in  all  thofe  Vices  here  mentioned,  but  fome  in  one, 
others  in  another.  Very  parallel  with  that  of  the  Apoitle 
Paul  to  Titus,  Chap.  iii.  g;  For  WE  our  fihes  (i.e.  We 


W*m  I Al1  in  theirfirft  State  Wicked.  2  2  9 

of  the  Chriftian  Church)  fometimes  alfo  were  foolifjj,  dif- 
obedient }  deceived,  fcrving  divers  Lufts  and  Pleafuresy 
(ibme  one  Luft  and  Pleafure,  others  another)  living  inMa- 
lice,  Envy,  hateful  and  hating  one  another ,&c.  There 
is  Nothing  in  this  but  what  is  very  natural.  That  the 
Apoftle,  fpeaking  to  the  Chriftian  Church,  and  of  that 
Church,  confelling  it's  former  Sins,  fhould  fpeak  of  him- 
felf  as  one  of  that  Society,  and  yet  mention  fome  Sins 
that  he  perfonaily  had  not  been  guilty  of,  &  among  others, 
heathenilh  Idolatry,  is  quite  a  differentThing  from  what  it 
would  have  been  for  the  Apoftle,  exprefly  diftinguifhing 
thofeof  the  Christians  which  had  beenHeathen,from  thole 
which  had  been  Jezvs,  to  have  ranked  himfelf  with  the 
former,  tho'  he  was  truly  of  the  latter. 

If  a  Minifter  in  fome  Congregation  in  England, fpeak- 
ing in  a  Sermon  of  the  Sins  of  the  Nation,  being  himfelf 
of  the  Nation,  fhould  fay,  **WE  have  greatly  corrupted 
"  our  felves,  &  provoked  God  by  our  Deifm,our  Blafphe- 
"  my,  our  profane  Swearing,  our  Lafcivioufnefs,  our  Ve- 
"  nality,  &c.fpeaking  in  the  firft  Perfon  plural,tho'  he  him- 
felf never  had  been  a  Deift,  and  perhaps  none  of  hisHear- 
ers,  and  they  might  alfo  have  been  generally  free  from 
other  Sins  he  mention' d  ;  yet  there  would  be  nothing  un- 
natural in  his  thus  exprefling  himfelf.  But  it  would  be 
a  quite  different  Thing,  if  one  Part  of  the  Britifi  Domi- 
nions, iuppofe  our  King's  American  Dominions,  had  uni- 
verfally  apoffatized  from  Chriftianity  to  Deifm,  and  had 
long  been  in  fuch  a  State,  and  if  One  that  had  been  born 
and  brought  up  inEngland  among  Chriftians.the  Country 
being  univerfally  Chriftian,  fhould  be  fent  among  them  to 
fliew  them  the  Folly  and  great  Evil  of  Deifm, and  convert 
them  to  Chriftianity  ;  and  this  MifTionary,  when  making 
a  Diftinclrion  between  Englifb  Chriftians,  and  thefeDeifts, 
ihould  rank  himfelf  with  the  latter,  and  fay,  WE  Ameri- 
can T)eifls,  We  f,olifl?  blind  Imdsls  &c.  This  indeed 
would  be  very  unnatural  and  abfurd. 

Another  Paflage  of  the  Apoftle,  to  the  likePurpofe  with 
that  which  we  have  been  confideringinthe  5  th  of :  Romans, 

is 


230     Proof  from  Epb.  ii.  3,  8cc.    Part  II. 

is  that  in  Epb.  ii.  3.— —  *And  -were  by  Nature  Children 
of  Wrath,  even  as  others.  This  remains  a  plain  Tefti- 
mony  to  the  Do&rine  of  original  Sin,  as  held  by  thofe  that 
u fed  to  be  called  orthodox  Chriftians,  after  all  the  Pains 
and  Att  ufed  to  torture  and  pervert  it.  This  Doctrine  is 
here  not  only  plainly  and  fully  taught,  but  abundantly  Co) 
if  we  take  the  Words  with  the  Context  ;  where  Chriftians 
are  once  and  again  reprefented  as  being,  in  their  flrft  State, 
dead  in  Sin,  and  as  quickened,  and  raifed  up  from  fnch  a 
State  of  Death,  in  a  mod  marvellous  Difplay  of  the  free 
and  rich  Grace  and  Love,  and  exceeding  Greatnefs  of  the 
Power  of  God,  &c. 

With  refpect  to  thofe  Words  5f*«*  rittp»  qvaei  o$yis  We 
-were  by  Nature  Children  of  Wrath,  Dr.  T.  fays  (P.  1 1 2 , 
113,1 14.)  "  The  Apoftle  means  no  more  by  this,  than 
"  truly  or  really  Children  of  Wrath  ;  ufmg  a  metaphc- 
"  rical  Expreffion,  borrowed  from  the  Word  that  is  ufed 
"  to  (ignify  a  true  and  genuine  Child  of  a  Family,  in 
"  DiftmcYion  from  one  that  is  a  Child  only  by  Adoption  : 
u  To  exprefs  this  we  fay,  he  is  by  Nature  a  Child."  In 
which  'tis  own'd,  that  the  proper  Senfe  of  the  Phrafe  is 
being  a  Child  oy  Nature,  in  the  fame  Senfe  as  a  Child  by 
Birth  or  natural  Generation  ;  but  only  he  fuppofes,  that 
here  the  Word  is  ufed  metaphorically.  The  Inftance  he 
produces  as  parallel,  to  confirm  his  fuppofed  metaphorical 
Senfe  of  the  Phrafe  as  meaning  only  fruly,  really  or 
properly  Children  of  Wrath,  viz.  the  Apoftle  Paul's  call- 
ing 'Timothy  his  own  Son  in  the  Faith,  yvmov  t*kkv>  is  fo 
far  from  confirming  his  Senfe,  that  it  is  rather  directly  a- 
gainft  it.  For  doubtlefs  the  Apoflle  ufes  the  Word  yvxaiov 
in  it's  original  Signification  here,  meaning  his  begotten 
Sof2;  yvw.os  being  the  Adjective  from  yon,  Offspring,  or  the 
Verb  y&vati,  to  beget  ;  as  much  as  to  fay,  Timothy  my 
begotten  Son  in  the  Faith  ;  only  allowing  for  the  two 
Ways  of  being  begotten, fpoken  of  in  the  new  Teftament, 
one  natural,  and  the  other  fpiritual  ;  one  being  the  firft 
Generation,  the  other  Regeneration ;  the  one  a  being  be- 
gotten as  to  the  human  Nature,  the  ether  a  being  begot- 


tl  All  in  their  fir  ft  State  Wicked.  2  %  1 

Sect.  III.  3  J    J  ° 

ten  in  the  Faith,  begotten  in  Ch rift, or  as  to  one's  Chrifti- 
anity,  The  Apoftle  exprefty  fignifies  which  of  thefe  he 
means  in  this. Place,  'Timothy  my  begottenSon  in  the  Faith, 
in  the  fame  Manner  as  he  fays  to  the  Corinthians,  1  Cor. 
iv.  1 5.  In  Chrift  J  ejus  I  have  begotten  you  through  the 
G  of  pel.  To  fay,  the  Apoftle  ufes  the  Word,  tpveet,  in  Eph. 
ii.  3.  only  as  fignifying  real,  true  and  proper,  is  a  moft  ar- 
bitrary Interpretation,  having  nothing  to  warrant  it  in  the 
whole  Bible.  The  Word  0uou  is  no  where  ufed  in  this 
Senfe  in  the  New-Teftament.  * 

Another  Thing  which  ourAuthor  alledgesto  evade  the 
Force  of  this,  is,  that  the  -Word  render'd  Nature,  fome- 
times  fignifies  Habit  contracted  by  Cuftom,  or  an  acquired 
Nature.  But  this  is  not  the  proper  Meaning  of  the  Word. 
And  it  is  plain,  the  Word  in  its  common  Ufe,  in  the  new 
Teftament,  fignifies  what  we  properly  exprefs  in  Englifti 
by  theStfor&Nature.  There  is  but  one  Place  where  there 
can  be  the  lead  Pretext  for  fuppofmg  it  to  be  ufed  other- 
wife  ;  and  that  is  1  Cor.  xi.  14.  Doth,  not  even  Nature 
it  felf  teach  you,  that  if  a  Man  have  long  Hair,  it  is  a 
Shame  unto  him  ?  And  even  here  there  is,  I  think,  no 
Manner  of  Reafon  for  underftanding  Nature  ctherwife 
than  in  the  proper  Senfe.  The  Emphafis  ufed,  <*vm  a 
<$vcr>,  Nature  IT  SELF,  (hews  that  the  Apoftle  don't 
mean  Cuftom,  but  Nature  in  the  proper  Senfe.  It  is  true, 
it  was  long  Cuftom,  that  made  having  the  Head  covered 
a  Token  of  Subjection,  and  a  feminine  Habit  or  Appear- 
ance ;  As  'tis  Cuftom  that  makes  any  outward  Action  or 
Word  a  Sign  or  Signification  of  any  thing  :  But  Nature 
it  felf ,  Nature  in  its  proper  Senfe,  teaches,  that  it  is  a 
Shame  for  a  Man  to  appear  with  the  eftabliflied  Signs  of 
the  female  Sex,and  with  Significations  of  Inferiority,  &c. 
As  Nature  it  felf  ihews  it  to  be  a  Shame  for  a  Father  to 
bow  down  or  kneel  to  his  own  Child  or  Servant,  or  for 

Men 

*  The  following  are  all  the  Places  where  the  Word  is  ufed. 
Rom.  i.  26.  and  ii.  14.  and  veTiij.  and  xi.  21  andsw.24. 
twice  in  that  Verfe.  1  Cor.  xi.  14.  Gal.  ii.  15.  and  iv,  S, 
Jam.  iii.  7.  twice  in  that  Verfe.  and  2  Pet.  i.  4, 


'232     Proof  from  Eph.ii.  3,  &c.     Part  II, 

Men  to  bow  to  an  Idol,  becaufe  bowing  down  is  by  Cuftom 
an  eftablifhed  Token  or  Sign  of  Subje&ion  &  Submiflion  : 
Such  a  Sight  therefore  would  be  unnatural,  fhocking  to 
a  Man's  very  Nature.  So  Nature  would  teach,  that  'tis 
a  Shame  for  a  Woman  to  ufe  fuch  and  fiieh  lafcivious 
Words  or  Geftures ;  tho'  it  be  Cuftom,  that  eftablifnes  the 
unclean  Signification  of  chafe  Geftures  and  Sounds. 

'Tis  particularly  unnatural  and  nnreafonable,  to  under- 
hand the  Phrafe,  r%wm  ^wet,  in  this  Place,  any  otherwife 
than  in  the  proper  Senfe,  on  the  following  Accounts. 
1.  It  may  be  obferved,  that  both  theWords,  rsxiw  &  qveis, 
in  their  original  Signification,  have  Reference  to  the  Birth 
or  Generation.  So  theWord,  yja<s  which  comes  from  <pW, 
which  fignifles  to  beget  or  bring  forth  Young,  or  to  put 
forth,  or  bud  forth  as  a  Plant,  that  brings  forth  young  Buds 
and  Branches.  And  fo  the  Word  raw',  comes  from  -nx/raj, 
which  fignifies  to  bring  forth  Children. —  2.  As  tho'  the 
Apoftle  took  Care  by  theWord  ufed  here,  to  iignify  what 
we  are  by  Birth,  he  changes  the  Word  he  ufed  before  for 
Children.     In  the  prececding  Verfe  he  ufed  0101,  fpeaking 

of  the  Children  of  Difobedience  ; but  here    ratyw, 

which  is  a  Word  derived,  as  was  now  obferved,  from  rixrca 
to  bring  forth  a  Child,  and  more  properly  fignifies  a  be- 
gotten or  born  Child. —  3.  'Tis  natural  to  fuppofe  that 
the  Apoftle  here  fpeaks  in  Oppofition  to  the  Pride  of  fome, 
efpecially  the  Jews  (for  the  Church  in  Ephefus  was  made 
up  partly  of  Jews,  as  well  as  the  Church  in  Rome)  who 
exalted  themfelves  in  the  Privileges  they  had  by  Birth,  % 
becaufe  they  were  born  the  Children  of  Abraham,  and 
were  Jews  by  Nature,  yo&*t  Ya^a-'ot,  as  the  Phrafe  is,  Gal. 
ii.  1 5.  In  Oppofition  vo  this  proud  Conceit,  he  teaches  the 
Jezvs,  that  notwithstanding  this  they  were  by  Nature  Chil- 
dren of  Wrath,  even  as  others,  i.  e.  as  well  as  the  Gentiles/ 
which  the  Jews  had  been  taught  to  look  upon  as  Sinners, 
and  out  of  Favour  with  God  by  Nature,  and  born  Chil- 
dren of  Wrath. —  4.  'Tis  more  plain,that  the  Apoftle  ufes 
the  Word  Nature  in  its  proper  Senfe  here,  becaufe  he  fets 
what  they  were  by  Nature  jm.  Oppofition  to  what  they  are 


^HAi-iin  aji  jn  their  jirjl  State  Wicked.  233 

by  Grace.  In  thisVerfe,  the  Apoftle  (hews  what  they  are 
by  Nature,  viz.  Children  of  Wrath  ;  and  in  the  following 
Verfes  hefhews,how  very  different  their  State  is  by  Grace  - 
faying,  f.  f.  By  Grace  ye  are  faved  ;  repeating  it  again 
$.  8.  By  Grace  ye  are  faved.  But  if,  by  being  Children 
of  Wrath  by  Nature,  were  meant  no  more  than  only  their 
being  really  and  truly  Children  of  Wrath,  as  Dr.  T.  fiip- 
pofes,  there  would  be  no  Oppofition  in  the  Signification  of 
thefe  Phrafes  ;  for  in  this  Senfe  they  were  by  Nature  in 
a  State  of  Salvation,  as  much  as  by  Nature  Children  of 
TVrath  i  for  they  were  truly,  really  and  properly  in  a 
State  of  Salvation. 

If  we  take  thefe  Words  with  the  Context,   the  whole 
•abundantly  proves,  that  by  Nature  we  are  totally  corrupt, 
without  any  good  Thing  in  us.     For  if  we  allow  the  plain  ' 
Scope  of  the  Place,  without  attempting  to  hide  it,  by  ex- 
tremeViolence  ufed  with  theApoftle'sWords  &ExpreiTions, 
the  Defign  here  is   flrongly  to  eftablifh  this  Point  ;  That 
what  Chriftians  have  that  is  good  in  them,  or  in  their  State, 
is  in  no  Part  of  it  naturally  in  themfelves,  or  from  them- 
felves, but  is  wholly  from  divine  Grace,  all  the  Gift  of 
God,  and  his  Workmanfhip,  the  Effect  of  his  Power,  and 
free  and  wonderful  Love  :   None  of  our  good  TVorks  are 
primarily  from  ourfclves,  but  with  refpecl   to  'em  all,  we 
are  God's  Workmanfhip,  created  unto  good  TVorks,  as  it 
were  out  of  Nothing  :  Not  fo  much  as  Faith  itfelf  the 
firftPrinciple  of  good  Works  in  Chriftians,  is  of  themfelves, 
but  that  is  the  Gift  of  God.     Therefore  the  Apoftle  com- 
pares the  Work  of  God,  in  forming  Chriftians  to  true  Vir- 
tue and  Holinefs,  not  only  to  a  new  Creation,  but  a  it  - 
furreclion,  or  raifing  from  the  Dead,  f*  i.    Tou  hath   h* 
quickened,  who  were  dead  in  Trefpajfes  and  Sins.    And 
again  Hf.  5.    Even  when  we  were  dead  in  Sins,  hath  he 
quicken' 'd 'us  together  with  Chrifl.  In  fpeaking  of  Chriftians 
being  quicken'd  with  Chrifl:,  the  Apoftle  has  Reference  to 
what  he  had  faid  before,  in  the  latter  Part  of  the  foregoing 
Chapter,  of  God's  manifefting  the  exceeding  Greatnefs  of 
his  Power  towards  Chriftian  Converts,in  their  Converfion* 

Y  agreable 


234     Proof  from  Eph.ii.  3,  &c.    Part  II. 

agreable  to  the  Operation  of  his  mighty  Power,  when  he 
raifed  Chrifl  from  the  dead.  So  that  it  is  plain  by  every- 
thing in  this  Difeourfe,  the  Apoftle  would  fignify.  that 
by  Nature  we  have  no  Goodnefs  >  but  are  as  deftitute  of 
it  as  a  dead  Corpfe  is  of  Life  :  And  that  all  Goodnefs,  all 
good  Works,  and  Faith  the  Principle  of  all,  are  perfectly 
the  Gift  of  God's  Grace,  and  the  Work  of  his  great,  al- 
mighty and  exceeding  excellent  Power.  1  think,  there  can 
be  need  of  Nothing  but  reading  the  Chapter,  and  minding 
what  is  read,  to  convince  all  who  have  common  Under- 
standing, of  this  ;  whatever  any  of  the  moil  fubtil  Criticks 
have  done,  or  even  can  do,  to  twift,  rack,  perplex  &  per- 
vert the  Words  and  Phrafes  here  ufed. 

Dr.  T.  here  again  infills,  that  the  Apoftle  fpeaks  only 
of  the  Gentiles  in  their  heathen  State,  when  he  fpeaks  of 
thofe  that  were  dead  in  Sin,  and  by  Nature  Children  cf 
Wrath  ;  and  that  tho'  he  feems  to  include  himfelf  among 
thefe,  faying,  WE  were  by  Nature  Children  cf  Wrath, 
WE  were  dead  in  Sins,  yet  he  only  puts  himfelf  among 
them  becaufe  he  was  the  Apoftle  of  the  Gentiles.  The 
grofs  Abfiirdity  of  which  may  appear  from  what  was  laid 
before.  But  befides  the  things  which  have  been  already 
obferved,  there  are  fomc  things  which  make  it  peculiarly 
tmrcafonable  to  underitand  it  fo  here.  ?Tis  true,  the  grea- 
ter Part  of  the  Church  of  Efhefus  had  been  Heathens, 
and  therefore  the  Apoftle  often  has  Reference  to  their  hea- 
then State,  in  this  Epiftle.  But  the  Words  in  this  Chap, 
ii.  p  plainly  fhew,  that  he  means  himfelf  and  other  Jems^ 
in  Diilinelion  from  the  Gentiles. :  for  the  Diftin&ion  is 
fully  exprefs'd.  After  he  had  told  the  Ephefians,  who 
had  been  generally  Heathen,  that  they  had  been  dead  in 
Sin,  and  had  walk'd  according  to  the  Ccurfe  of  this  World, 
&c.  >\  I,  and  2.  he  makes  a *Diftthftion,  and  fays,  Among 
"whom  WE  ALSO  had  our  Converfation,  &c.  and  were 
by  Nature  Children  of  Wrath  EVEN  AS  OTHERS. 
Here  frft  he  changes  the  Perfon  ;  whereas,before  he  had 

fpoken  in  the  fecond  Perfon,  YE  were  dead, YE  in 

time  pa ft  walked r,&c.   Now  he  charges  Stile,  and  ufes  the 

:-,.-•  firft 


p-5*  I  All  /*  ^/r  firftStateW\ckz&.  235 

Sect.  III.  3  J 

firft  PeiTon,  in  a  mod  manifeft  Diftinction,  Among  whom 
WE  ALSO,  that  is,  w<?  Jews,  as  well  as  j*  Gentiles. 
Not  only  changing  the  Perfpti,  but  adding  a  Panicle  of 
Diftincl:ion,^//tf  ;  which  would  be  Nonfenfe,  if  he  meant 
the  fame  without  Diftin<ftion.  And  befides  all  this,  more 
fully  to  exprefs  the  Diftinclion,  the  Apoftle  further  adds 
a  Pronoun  of  Diftinction  ;  WE  at  fo, even  as  OTHERS, 
or,we  as  well  as  others  :  mo(t  evidently  having  refpect  to 
the  Notions,  fo  generally  entertain'd  by  the  Jews,  of  their 
being  much  better  than  the  Gentiles,  in  being  Jews  by 
Nature,  Children  of  Abraham,  and  Children  of  God  ; 
when  they  fuppofed  the  Gentiles  to  be  utterly  caft  off,  as 
born  Aliens,  and  by  Nature  Children  of  Wrath.  1$ 
Oppofltion  to  this,  the  Apoftle  lays,  'We  Jews,  after  all 
our  glorying  in  our  Diftinction,  were  by  Nature  Children 
of  Wrath,  as  well  as  the  reft  of  the  World?  And  a  yet 
further  Evidence,  that  the  Apoillehere  means  to  include 
the  Jews,  and  even  himfelf,  is  the  univerfal  Term  he 
ufes,  Among  whom  alfo  we  ALL  had  our  Converfation, 
&c.  Tho  Wickednefs  was  fuppofed  by  the  Jews  to  be 
the  Courfe  of  this  W^orld,  as  to  the  Generality  of  Mankind, 
yet  they  fuppofed  themfelves  an  exempt  People,  at  leafl 
the  Pharlfees,  and  the  devout  Obfervers  of  the  Law  of 
Mofes,  and  Traditions  of  the  Elders  ;  whatever  might  be 
thought  of  Publicans  and  Harlots.  But  in  Oppofition  to 
this,  the  Apoftle  ailerts,  that  they  all  were  no  better  by 
Nature  than  others,  but  were  to  be  reckon'd  among  the 
Children  of  T>ifobedience,  and  Children  of  Wrath. 

And  then  befides,  if  the  Apoftle  chufes  to  put  himfelf 
among  the  Gentiles,  becaufe  he  was  the  Apoftle  of  the 
Gentiles,  I  would  afk,  why  he  don't  do  fo  in  the  nth  y. 
of  the  fame  Chapter,  where  he  fpeaks  of  their  Gentile 
State  exprefly  ?  Remember  that  TE  being  in  time  pajl 
Gentiles  in  the  Flefb. — Why  does  he  here  make  a  Dis- 
tinction between  the  Gentiles  and  himfelf  ?  Why  did  he 
not  fay,  Let  us  remember,  that  we  being  in  paftTimeGw* 
tiles  f  And  why  does  the  fame  Apoftle,  even  univerfally, 
make  the  fame  Diftinction,  {peaking  either  in  the  fecond 

Y  2  or 


236  Proof  from  Rom.  vii.  5,14  Sfc.Part  II. 

cr  third  Perfon,  and  never  in  the  fit  ft    where  he  exprefly 
fpeaks-of  the  Gentilifm  ofthofe  that   he  wrote  to;  or 
fpeaks  of  'em  with  Reference  to  their  DiftincYion  from  the 
jews  ?  So  every  where  in  this  fameEpiftle ;  as,  inChap.i. 
1 2,1 3. where  theDiftinction  is  made  jufl  in  the  fameManner 
as  here,  by  the  Change  of  the  Perfon,  and  by  the  diftin- 
guifhing  Particle,  Alfo.  <That  WEJhouldbe  to  the  Praife 
of  his  Glory  who  fir  ft  trufted  in   Chrift    [the   firft  Be- 
lievers in  Chrift  being  of  the  Jezvs^  before  the  Gentiles 
were  called]  In  wham  YE  ALSO  trufted,  after  that  ye 
heard  the  Word  of  Truth,  the- Go/pel  of  your  Salvation. 
And  in  all  the  following  Part  of  this  fecond  Chapter  ;   as 
f.  11,  1  j,  19.  and  22.    In  which   laft   Verfe   the    fame 
diftinguifhing   Particle   again  is  ufed    ;    In  whom   YOU 
*ALSO  are  builded  together  for   an  Habitation  of  God 
thro7  the  Spirit.     See  alfo   in   the  following  Chapters  ; 
Chap.  iii.  6.  and  iv.  17.     And  not  only  in  this  Epiftle,  but 
eonftantly  in  other  Epiftles  :  as,  Rom.  i.  12,  13.   Chap.xi. 
13,  14,  17,  18,  19,  20,  21,  22,  23,  24,  25,28,  30,30,31. 
Chap.  xv.    15,    16*.   1  Cor.  xii.  2.   Gal.  iv.  8.  Col.  i.  27. 
Chap.  ii.  13.    1  Theft  i.  5,  6,  9.  Chap.  ii.  13, 14,  15,  16, 
Tho'  I  am  far  from  thinking  our  Author's  Expofinpn 
of  the  7th,  Chap,  of  Romans    to  be  in  any  wife   agreable 
to  the  true  Senfe  of  the  Apoftle,  yet  it  is  necdlefs  herd!  to 
ftand  particularly  to  examine  it ;   becaufe  the  Docrnne  of 
original  Sin  may  be  argued  not  the  lefs  ftrongly,  tho'  we 
fhould  allow  the  Thing  wherein  he  mainly  differs  frcm 
fuch  as  heoppofcsin  his  Interpretation,  viz.  That  the  A- 
poftle  don't  fpeak  in  his  ownName,  or  to  reprefenttheState 
of  a  true  Chriftian,  but  as   reprefenting  the  State   of  the 
"Jews  under  the  Law.     For  even  on  this  Supposition,  the 
Drift  of  the  Place  will  prove,  that  every  one  who  is  under 
the  Lav/,  and  with  equal   Reafon 'every  one  of  Mankind, 
is  carnal,  fold  under  Sin,  in  his  flrft  State,  and  till  deliver'd 
by  Chrift.     For,  us  plain,  that  the  Apoftle's  Defign  is  to 
fliew  the  Infufficiency  of  the  Law    to  give  Life  to  any 
one  whatfoever.     This  appears  by  what  he  fays  when  he 
comes  to  draw  his  Conclufion,  in  the  Continuation  of  this 

Difcourfe; 


Chap.iii.  ?  All  in  their  fir  ft  StateW  \cked.  2<in 

Sect.  III.  ^  J 

Difcourfe  ;  Chap.  viii.  3.*  For  what  the  Lazv  could  not 
doy  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the  Flejh  ;  God  J  ending 
his  ozvn  Son,  &c.  Our  Author  fuppofes,  this  here  fpokeri 
of,  viz.  "  that  the  Law  can't  give  Life,becaufe  it  is  weak 
through  the  Flefh,"  is  true  with  refpeel:  to  every  one  of 
Mankind. -\  And  when  the  Apoftle  gives  this  Reafon,  In 
that  it  is  weak  thro*  the  Flefh,  'tis  plain,  that  by  theFleJh, 
which  here  he  oppofes  to  the  Spirit,  he  means  the  fame 
Thing  which  in  the  preceeding  Part  of  the  fame  Dif- 
courfe, in  the  foregoing  Chapter,  he  had  called  by  the 
Name  Flefh  ^  $.  5,  14,18.  and  the  Law  of  the  Members, 
f.  23.  and  the  Body  of  "Death,  >'.  23.  Which  is  the 
Thing  that  through  this  "Chapter  he  infifts  on  as  the 
grand  Hindrance  and  Reafon  why  the  Law  could  not  give 
Life,  juft  as  he  does  in  his  Conclusion,  Chap.  viii.  3. 
Which  in  this  laft  Place,  is  given  as  a  Reafon  why  theLaw 
can't  give  Life  to  any  of  Mankind.  And  it  being  the 
fame  Reafon,  of  the  fame  Thing,  fpoken  of  in  the  fame 
"Difcourfe,  in  the  former  Part  of  it  ;  as  appears,  becaufe 
this  laft  Place  is  the  Conclufion,  of  which  that  former  Part 
is  the  Premifes  :  And  inafmuch  as  the  Reafon  there  given 
is  being  in  the  Flefh,  and  a  being  carnal,  fold  under  Sin. 
Therefore  taking  the  whole  of  the  Apoftle's  Difcourfe, 
this  is  juftly  underftood  to  be  a  Reafon  why  the  Law  can't 
give  Life  to  any  of  Mankind  ;  and  confequently,  that  all 
Mankind  are  in  the  Flefh,  and  are  carnal,  fold  under  Sin, 
and  fo  remain  till  deliver'd  by  Chrift  :  And  confequently 
all  Mankind  in  their  firft  or  original  State  are  very  finfui  j 
which  was  the  Thing  to  be  proved. 


Chap. 


*  Dr.  T.  hirnfelf  reckons  this  a  Part  of  the  fame  Difcourfe  or 
Paragraph,  in  the  Divifion  he  makes  of  the  Epiftle,  in  his 
Parapbraje  and  Notes  upon  it. 

f  See  Note  on  Rom.  v.  2©. 


238        Remarks  on  Dr.  T—r$      Part  II. 
Chap      IV. 

Containing  Ohfervations  on  Rom.  v.   12,— 
to  the  End. 

Sect.     I. 

Remarks  on  Dr.  T — -r's    Way  of    explaining    this 

'text. 

THE  following  Things  are  worthy  to  be  taken  Notice 
of,  concerning  our  Author's  Expofition  of  this  re- 
markable PaiTage  of  the  Apoftle  Paul. 

I.  He  greatly  infills  that  by  Death  in  this  Place  no 
more  is  meant,  than  that  Death  which  we  all  die, when  this 
prefent  Life  is  extinguifhed,  and  the  Body  returns  to  the 
Duff.  ;  that  no  more  is  meant  in  the  12,14,  15,  and  17th 
Verfes.  P.  27.  he  fpeaks  of  it  as  evidently,  clearly  and 
infallibly  fo,  becaufe  the  Apoftle  is  flill  difcourfing  on  the 
fame  Subject ;  plainly  implying,that  it  mull  moft  infallibly 
be  fo,  that  the  Apoftle  means  no  more  by  Death,  through- 
out this  Paragraph  on  the  Subject.  But  as  infallible  as  this 
is,  if  we  believe  what  Dr.T~.  elfewhere  f iys,  it  muft  needs 
be  otherwife.  He,  in  P. 3  9  6,  fpeaking  of  thofe Words  in  the 
laft  Verfe  of  the  next  Chapter,  The  Waves  of  Sin  is 
DEATH,  but  the  Gift  of  God  is  ETERNAL  LIFE, 
thro*  Jefus  Chrifl  our  Lord,  fays,  "  Death  in  this  Place 
"  is  widely  different  from  the  Death  we  now  die  ;  as  it 
"  ftands  there  oppofed  to  eternal  Life,  which  is  the  Gift 
"  of  God  thro'  Jefus  Chrifl,  it  manifeftly  llgnifies  eternal 
"  Death,  the  fecond  Death,  or  that  Death  which  they 
"  fliall  hereafter  die,  who  live  after  the  Flefli."  But 
Death,  in  theConclufion  of  the  Paragraph  we  are  upon  in 
the  5th  Chapter,concerning  the  Death  that  comes  by  Adam, 
and  the  Life  that  comes  by  Chrifl:,  in  the  laft  f.  of  the 
Chapter,  is  oppofed  to  eternal  Life,  jufl:  in  the  fame  Man- 
ner 


Chap.iv.  i  Explanation  of  Rom. v.  i  2,&e.  239 

ner  as  it  is  in  the  laft  f.  of  the  next  Chapter.  That  as 
Sin  has  reigned  unto  'DEATH,  even  fo  might  Grace 
reign, thro"  Righteoufnefs ,  unto  ETERNAL  LIFE,  by 
JefmChrift  oar  Lord.  So  that  by  our  Author's  own  Ar- 
gument, Death  in  this  Place  alfo  is  manifeflly  widely  differ- 
ent from  the  "Death  we  now  die,  as  it  flands  here  oppofed 
to  eternal  Life  thro'  Jefus  Chrift  ;  and  fignifies  eternal 
Death,  the  fecond  Death.  And  yet  this  is  a  Part  of  the 
fame  Difcourfe  or  Paragraph  with  that  begun  in  the  12th 
jr.  as  reckon'd  by  Dr.  T.  himfelf  in  his  Divifion  of  Para- 
graphs, in  his  Paraphrafe  and  Notes  on  the  Epiftle.  So 
that  if  we  will  follow  him,  and  admit  his  Reafonings  in  the 
various  Parts  of  his  Book,  here  is  manifeft  Proof,  againft 
infallible  Evidence  !  So  that  'tis  true,the  Apoftle  through- 
out this  whole  Paflage  on  the  fame  Subject,  by  Death,  evi- 
dently, clearly  and  infallibly  ?neans  no  more,  than  that 
"Death  we  nozv  die,  when  this  Life  is  extinguifhed  ;  and 
yet  by  Death,  in  fome  Part  of  this  PafTage,  is  meant  fome- 
thing  widely  different  from  the  Death  zve  now  die,  and 
is  MANIFESTLY  intended  eternal  Death,  the  fe- 
cond Death. 

But  had  our  Author  been  more  confident  with  himfelf 
in  his  laying  of  it  down  as  fo  certain  and  infallible,  that 
becaufe  the  Apoftle  has  a  fpecial  Refpect  to  temporal 
Death,  in  the  14th  f.  Death  reigned  from  Adam  to 
Mofes,  therefore  he  means  no  more  in  the  feveral  conie- 
quent  Parts  of  this  Paflage,  yet  he  is  doubtlefs  too  confident 
and  pofitive  in  this  Matter.  This  is  no  more  evident,  clear 
and  infallible,  than  that  Chrift  meant  no  more  by  perifhing, 
in  Luke  xiii.  5.  when  he  fays,  I  tell  you,  Nay, but  except 
ye  repent,  ye  flmll  all  likezvife  perifi,  than  fuch  a  tempo- 
ral Death,  as  came  on  thofe  that  died  by  the  Fall  of  the 
Tower  of  Siloam,  fpoken  of  in  the  preceeding  Words  of 
the  fame  Speech  :  and  no  more  infallible,  than  that  by 
Life,  Chrift  means  no  more  than  this  temporal  Life,  in 
each  Part  of  that  one  Sentence,  Matt.  x.  39.  He  that 
findeth  his  ~L\£e,fZ;all  lofe  it  ;  and  he  that  lofeth  his 
Life  for  my  §z\&,fh all  find  it  j  becaufe  in  the  firfl  Part 

of 


240      Remarks  on  Dr.  T— r5s       Part  II. 

of  each  Claufe    he   has  refpecl  efpecially   to  temporal 
Life.  * 

The  Truth  of  the  Cafe  with  refpecl:  to  what  the  Apo- 

flle  intends  by  the  Word  "Death  in  this  Place,  is  this,  viz. 

That  the  fame  Thing  is  meant,   as  is  meant  by  Death  in 

the  foregoing  and  following  Parts  of  this  Epiftle,  and  other 

Writings  of  this  .A  pottle,  where  he  fpeaks  of  Death  as  the 

Confequence  of  Sin,   namely,  the  Whole  of  that  Death, 

which  He,and  the  Scripture  every  where, fpeaks  of  as  the 

proper  Wages  and  Punifliment  of  Sin,   including  Death 

temporal,  fpiritual  and  eternal  ;   tho'  in  fome  Parts  of  this 

Difcourfe  he  has  a  more  fpecial  refpecl  to  one  Part  of  this 

Whole,  in  others  to  another,  as  his  Argument    leads  him  ; 

without  any  more  Variation,  than  is  common  in  the  fame 

Difcourfe.      That  Life  which   the  Scripture  fpeaks  cf  as 

the  Reward  of  Righteoufnefs,  is  a  Whole  containing  feve- 

ral  Parts,  viz.  The  Life  of  the  Body,  Union  of  Soul  and 

Body,  and  the  moft  perfect  Senfibility,  Activity  &  Felicity 

of  both,  which   is  the  chief  Thing,     In   like  Manner  the 

Death,which  the  Scripture  fpeaks  of  as  the  Punifliment  of 

Sin,  is  a  Whole  including  the  Death  of  the  Body.and  the 

Death* of  the  Soul,  and  the  eternal,  fenflble,   perfecl   De- 

flruclion 

*  There  are  many  Places  parallel  with  thefe,  as  joh.  xi.  25, 
26.  /  am  the  Re/urreilion,  and  the  Life  :  He  that  beiieveth  in 
me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  ft  mil  he  live  :  and  whofcever  liveth, 
and  beiieveth  in  me,  JhaU  never  die.  Here  both  the  Words,  Life 
zndDeatb,  are  ufed  with  this  Variation  ;  /  am  the  Refurredion^ 
and  the  Life,  meaning  fpiritual  and  eternal  Lie  :  He  that  be- 
iieveth in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  having  refpecl  to  temporal 
Death,  yet  JhaU  he  live,  with  refpecl  to  fpiritual  Life,  and  the 
Reftcration  of  the  Life  of  the  Body.  And  whof sever  liveth 
and  beiieveth  in  me,  JhaU  never  die,  meaning  a  fpiritual  and 
eternal  Deach.  So  in  Joh,  vi.  49,  50.  Your  Fathers  did  eat 
Manna  in  the  Wiidernefs,  and  are  dead,  having  refpecl:  chiefly 
to  temporal  Death.  This  is  the  Bread  which  comet  h  down  from 
Heaven,  that  a  Alan  may  cat  thereof,  and  not  die,  i.  e.  by  thfr 
Lofs  of  fpiritual  Life,  &  by  eternal  Death.  (See  alfo  ver.58.) 
And  in  the  next  ver.  If  any  Man  eat  of  this  Bread,  he  JhaU 
live  forever,  have  eternal  Life.  So  ver.  54,  See  another  like 
Inflance,  Joh,  v*  24,-29. 


Chap  J  v. )  Explanation  ^Rom.v.  1 2,&c.  241 

ftru&ion  and  Mifery  of  both.  'Tis  this  latter  Whole,  that 
the  Apoftle  1  peaks  of  by  the  Name  of  Death  in  thisDif- 
courfe,  in  Rom.  v.  Tho'  in  fome  Sentences  he  has  a 
more  fpecial  Refpecl:  to  one  Part,  in  others  to  another  : 
And  this  without  changing  the  Signification  of  the  Word. 
For  an  having  Refpe£l  to  feveral  Things  included  in  the 
extenfive  Signification  of  the  Word,  is  not  the  fame  thing 
as  nfmg  the  Word  in  feveral  diftinct  Significations.  As  for 
Inftance,fhe  Appellative,  Marc,  or  the  proper  Name  of  any 
particular  Man,  is  the  Name  of  a  Whole,  including  the 
different  Parts  of  Soul  &  Body.  And  if  any  one  in  fpeak- 
ing  of  yames  or  John,  mould  fay, he  was  a  wife  Man,  and 
a  beautiful  Man  ;  in  the  former  Part  of  the  Sentence, 
Refpect  would  be  had  more  efpecially  to  his  Soul,  in  the 
latter  to  his  Body,  in  the  Word  Man  :  But  yet  without 
any  proper  Change  of  the  Signification  of  the  Name,  to 
diftincl:  Senfes.  In  J  oh.  xxi.  7.  it  is  faid,  Peter  zuas 
nakedjindm  the  following  Part  of  the  fame  Story  'tis  faid, 
Peter  zuas  grieved.  In  the  former  Proportion,  Refpect 
is  had  efpecially  to.  his  Body,  irvahe  latter  to  his  Soul  : 
But  yet  here  is  no  proper  Change'of  the  Meaning  of  the 
Name,  Peter.  And  as  to  the  Apoflle's  Ufe  of  theWord 
"Death,  in  the  Paflage  now  under  Confederation,  on  the 
Suppofi'tion  that  he  in  the  general  means  the  whole  of  that 
Death  which  is  the  Wages  of  Sin  there  is  nothing  but 
what  is  perfectly  natural  in  fuppofing,  that  he,  in  order  to 
evince,  that  Death,  the  proper  Punifhment  of  Sin,  comes 
on  all  Mankind,  in  Confequence  of  Adarr?%  Sin,  fhould 
take  Notice  of  that  Part  of  this  Punifhment,which  is  visi- 
ble in  this  World,  and  which  every  Body  therefore  fees, 
does  in  Fact  come  on  all  Mankind  (as  in  >\  14.)  and  from 
thence  fliould  infer,  that  all  Mankind  are  expofed  to  the 
whole  of  that  Death  which  is  the  proper  Puniihment  of  Sin, 
whereof  that  temporal  Death  which  is  vitible,  is  a  Part, 
and  a  vifible  Image  of  the  whole,  and  (unlefs  changed  by 
divine  Grace)  an  Introduction  to  the  principal,  and  infi- 
nitely the  moft  dreadful  Part. 

Z  II,  Dr, 


242        Remarks  on  Dr.  T— r's      Part  II. 

II.  Dr.  T — r's  Explanation  of  this  PaiTage  makes 
wholly  infigniflcant  thofe  firfl  Words,  By  one  Man  Sin 
entered  into  the  World,  and  leaves  this  Propofition  with- 
out any  Senfe  or  Signification  at  all.  The  A  poftle  had 
been  largely  and  elaborately  reprefenting,  how  the  whole 
World  was  full  of  Sin,  in  all  Parts  of  it,  both  among  Jews 
and  Gentiles,  and  all  expofed  to  Death  &  Condemnation. 
?Tis  plain,  that  in  thefe  Words  he  would  tell  us,how  this 
came  to  pafs,  namely,  that  this  forrowful  Event  came  by 
one  Man,  even  the  firfl:  Man,  That  the  World  was  full 
of  Sin,  and  full  of  Death,  were  two  great  and  notorious 
Facts,  deeply  affecting  the  Interefts  of  Mankind  ;  and  they 
feemed  very  wonderful  Facts,  drawing  the  Attention  of 
the  more  thinking  Part  of  Mankind  every  where,  who 
often  alked  this  Queftion,  Whence  comes  Evil,  moral  and 
natural  Evil  ?  (The  latter  chiefly  vifible  in  Death.)  'Tis 
manifeft,  the  A  poftle  here  means  10  tell  us,how  thefe  came 
into  the  World,  and  came  to  prevail  in  it  as  they  do.  But 
all  that  is  meant,  according  to  Dr.  T — r's  Interpretation, 
is,  "  He  begun  Tranfgrejfwn"*  As  if  all  that  th*.  A  po- 
ftle meant,  was,  to  tell  us  who  happen'd  to  fin  firft  ;  not 
how  fuch  a  Malady  came  upon  the  World,  or  how  any 
one  in  the  World,  befides  Adam  himfelf,  came  by  fuch  a 
Diflemper.  The  Words  of  the  Apoflle,  By  one  Man  Sin 
entered  INTO  THE  WORLD,  and  Death  by  Sin, 
fhew  the  Defign  to  be,to  tell  us  how  thefe  Evils  came,  as 
affecting  the  State  of  the  World ;  and  not  only  as  reaching 
one  Man  in  the  World.  If  this  were  not  plain  enough  in 
itfelf,  the  Words  immediately  following  dernonftrate  it ; 
Andfo  Death  paffed  upon  ALL  MEN,  for  that  all 
have  finned.  By  SMs  being  in  the  World,  the  A  poftle 
don't  mean  being  in  the  World  only  in  that  one  In/lance  of 
Adam's  firft  Tranfgreflion,but  being  abroad  in  theWorld, 
among  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Earth,  in  a  wide  Extent  and 
continued  Series  of  Wickednefs  ;  as  is  plain  in  the  firfl: 
Words  of  the  next  Verfe,  For  until  the  Law,  Sin  %vas 

IN 

*  P.  56. 


Chap.iv.">  Explanation  of 'Rom.v .  1 2,&c.  2 4.3 

Sect.  I.   3         r  y  ■  ** 

Z2V  THE  WORUD.  And  therefore  when  he  gives 
us  an  Account  how  it  came  to  be  in  the  EWorld ',  or  which 
is  the  fame  Thing,  how  it  entered  into  the  World, he  don't 
mean  only  coming  in  in  one  Inftance. 

If  the  Cafe  were  as  Dr.  T.  represents,  that  the  Sin  of 
Adam,  either  in  its  Pollution  orPunifhment,  reached  none 
but  himfelf,  any  more  than  the  Sin  of  any  other  Man, 
it  would  be  no  more  proper  to  fay,  that  by  one  Man  Sin 
enter' d  into  the  World,  than  if  it  mould  be  enquired,  how 
Mankind  came  into  America,  and  there  had  anciently  been 
a  Ship  of  the  Phenicians  wreck'd  at  Sea,  and  a  fingle  Man 
of  the  Crew  was  driven  afhore  on  this  Continent,  and  here 
died  as  foon  as  he  reached  the  Shore,  and  it  fhould  be  faid, 
By  that  one  Man  Mankind  came  into  America. 

And  befides,it  is  not  true  that  by  one  Man  ,or  by  Adam, 
Sin  enter' d  into  World,  in  Dr.  T — r's  Senfe  :  For  it  was 
not  he,  but  Eve,  that  begun  Tranfrrejfion.  By  one  Man 
Dr.  T.  underftands  Adam,  as  the  Figure  of  Chrift.  And 
it  is  plain,  chat  it  was  for  his  TranfgreiTion,  and  not  Eve's, 
that  the  Sentence  of  Death  was  pronounced  on  Mankind 
after  the  Fall,  Gen.  iii.  19.  It  appears  unreafonable  to 
fuppofe  the  Apofcle  means  co  include  Eve,  when  he  fpeaks 
of  Adam  :  for  he  lays  great  Strefs  on  it,  that  it  was  BT 
OJS' E,-" — repeating  it  no  lefs  than  feven  Times. 

III.  In  like  Manner  this  Author  brings  to  Nothing  the 
Senfe  of  the  caufal  Particles,  in  flich  Phrafes  as  thefe,  fo 
often  repeated,  "Death  BT  Sin,  f.  ra.  If  THROUGH 
the  Offence  of  one,  many  be  dead,  jr.  1 5,  BT  one  that 
finned, — -Judgment  was  BT  one  to  Condemnation,  y.  1 6. 
BT  one  Man's  Offence,  "Death  reigned  BT  one,  j.  1 7. 
BT  the  Offence  of  one,  Judgment  came  upon  all,  8cc.j  .  1 8. 
BT  one  Man's  "Difobedience,  f.  19.  Thefe  caufal  Par- 
ticles, fo  dwelt  upon,  and  fo  variously  repeated,  unieis  we 
make  meer  Nohfenfe  of  the  Difcourie,  fignify  fome  Con- 
nection and  Dependence,  by  fome  Sort  of  Influence  of  that 
Sin  of  one  Man,  or  fome  Tendency  to  that  Effect  which  is 
fo  often  faid  to  come  BT  ir.  But  according  to  Dr.  T. 
there  can  be  no  real  Dependence  or  Influence  in  the  Cafey 

Z  2  or 


1144-         Remarks  on  Dr.  T— r5s      Part  IL 

of  any  Sort  whatfoever.  There  is  no  Connexion  by  any 
natural  Influence  of  that  one  Act  to  make  all  Mankind 
mortal.  Our  Author  don't  pretend  to  account  for  this 
Effect  in  any  fuch  Manner  ;  but  in  another  molt  diverfe, 
viz.  A  gracious  Act  of  God,laying  Mankind  under  Afflicti- 
on, Toil  and  Death,  from  fpecial  Favour  and  Kindnefs. 
Nor  can  there  be  any  Dependence  of  this  Effect  on  that 
Tranfgreflion  of  Adam,  by  any  moral  Influence/  as  de- 
ferving  fuch  a  Confequence,  or  expofing  to  it  on  any  mo- 
ral .Account  i  '  For.  he  fuppofes,  that  Mankind  are  not 
in  this  way  expofed  to  the  leaft  Degree  of  Evil.  Nor  has 
this  Effect  any  legal  Dependence  on  that  Sin,  or  any  Con- 
nection by  Virtue' of  any  antecedent  Conftitution,  which 
God  had  eftablifh'd  with  Adam  :  For  he  infifts,  that  in 
that  Threatning,  In  the  T>ay  thou  eat  eft  thou  Jhalt  die, 
there  is  not  a  Word  faid  of  his  Pofterity  :  And  Death  on 
Mankind,  according  to  him,  can't  come  by  Virtue  of  that 
legal  Conftitution  with  Adam  ;  becaufe  the  Sentence  by 
which  it  came,  was  after  the  annulling  and  abolifhing  that 
Conftitution.  And  'tis  manifeft,that  thisConfequence  can't 
be  through  any  Kind  of  'Tendency  of  that  Sin  to  fuch  an 
Effect ;  becaufe  the  Effect  comes  only  as  a  Benefit,  and 
is  the  Fruit  of  meer  Favour  :  But  Sin  has  no  Tendency, 
either  natural  or  moral,  to  Benefits  and' divine  Favours. 
And  that  Sin  of  Adam  could  neither  be  the  efficient  CaufeP 
nor  the  procuring  Caufe,  neither  the  natural,  moral  nor 
legal  Cn.ufe,  nor  an  exciting  and  moving  Caufe,  any  more 
than  Adam's  eating  of  any  other  Tree  of  the  Garden.  And 
the  only  real  Relation  that  the  Effect  can  have  to  that  Sin, 
is  a  Relation  as  to  T\me,viz.  that  'tis  after  it. '  And  when 
the  Matter  is  clofely  examined,  the  whole  amounts  to  no 
more  than  this,  That  God  is  pleafed,  of  his  meer  good 
Will  and  Pleafurc,  to  beftow  a  greater  Favour  upon  us, 
than  he  did  upon  Adam  in  Innocency,  after  that  Sin  of 
his  eating  the  forbidden  Fruit  f  which  Sin  we  are  no  more 
concerned  in,  than  in  the  Sin  of  the  King  of  Pegu,  or  Em- 
peror of  China, 

IV.     'Tie 


Chap.  IV. i  Explanation  <?/*Rom.v.  i  2,&c.  24  e 

Sect.  I.    j         /  y  ■ 

IV.  'Tis  altogether  inconfiflent  with  theApoftle's  Scope, 
and  the  Import  of  what  he  fays,  to  iuppofe  that  the  Death 
which  he  here  fpeaks  of  as  coming  on  Mankind  by  Adam\ 
Sin,  comes  not  as  a  Punifliment,  but  only  as  a  Favour.  It 
quite  makes  void  the  Oppofition,  in  which  the  Apoflle  fcts 
the  Confequenc.es  of  Adam's  Sin,  and  the  Confequences 
of  the  Grace  and  Righteoufnefs  of  Chrift.  They  are  Cci 
in  Oppofition  to  each  other,  as  oppofite  Effects,  arifing  from 
oppofite  Caufes,  throughout  the  Paragraph  :  One  as  the 
jiifl  Confequence  of  an  Offence, x\\q  other  2,  free  Gifh$.l$, 

16,  17,  18.  Whereas,  according  to  this  Scheme,  there  is 
no  fuch  Oppofition  in  the  Cafe  ;  both  are  Benefits,and  both 
are  free  Gifts.  A  very  wholfome  Medicine,  to  fave  from 
perifhing,  ordered  by  a  kind  Father,  or  a  Shield  to  preferve 
from  an  Enemy,  bellowed  by  a  Friend,  is  as  much  a  free 
Gift,  as  pleafarit  Food.  The  Death  that  comes  by  Adam, 
Is  fet  in  Oppofition  to  the  Life  and  Happinefs  that  comes 
by  Chrift;  as  being  the  Fruit  of  Sin,  and  Judgment  for 
Sin  ;  when  the  latter  is  the  Fruit  of  divine  Grace,  f.  15, 

17,  20,  21.  Whereas,  according  to  our  Author,  both  came 
by  Grace  :  Death  comes  on  Mankind  by  the  free  Kind- 
nefs  and  Love  of  God,  much  more  truly  and  properly  than 
by  Adam's  Sin  Dr.  T.  fpeaks  of  it  as  coming  by  OC- 
CASION of  Adam's  Sin.  (But  as  I  have  obferved,  it  is 
an  Occafion  without  any  Influence.)  Yet  the  proper 
CAUSE  is  God's  Grace  •  So  that  the  true  Caufe  is  wholly 
good.  Which,  by  the  Way,  is  directly  repugnant  to  the 
Apoflle's  DocVine  in  Rom.  vii.  13.  Was  then  that  which 
is  good,  made  'Death  unto  me  ?  God  forbid.  But  Sin, 
that  it  might  appear  Sin,  zvorking  'Death  in  me  by  that 
which  is  good.  Where  the  Apoftle  utterly  rejects  any  fuch 
Suggeftion,  as  tho  that  which  is  good  were  the  proper 
Cauf  of  Death  ;  and  fignifies,that5/'?z  is  the  properCtfZf/^, 
and  that  which  is  good,  only  the  Occafion.  But  according 
to  this  Author,  the  Reverfe  is  true  :  That  which  is  good 
in  the  higheft  Senfe,  even  the  Love  of  God,  and  a  divine 
gracious  Conftitution,  is  the  proper  Caufe  of  Death  ;  and 
"Bin,  only  the  Occafion, 

But 


246       Remarks  on  Dr.  T— r's       Part  II. 

Eut  to  return,  'tis  plain, that  Death  by  Adam,zud  Life 
and  Happinefs  by  Chrift,  are  here  fet  in  Oppofition  ;.  the 
.  latter  being  fpoken  of  as  good,  the  other  as  evil  ;  one  as 
the  EfFeft  of  Right  eoufiefs,  the  other  of  an  Offence  ;  one 
the  Fruit  of  Obedience, the  other  of  T>ifobedience  ;  one  as 
the  Fruit  of  Godys  Favour,  in  Confequence  of  what  was 
pleaftng  and  acceptable  to  him,  but  the  other  the  Fruit  of 
his^/)^/^^rf,inConfequence  of  whzt  was  d  if  pleaftng  and 
hateful  to  him  :  the  latter  coming  by  Juftification,  the 
former  by  the  Condemnation  of  the  Subject.  But  accord- 
ing to  the  Scheme  of  our  Author,  there  can  be  no  Oppo- 
fition  in  any  of  thefe  Refpe&s  :  The  Death  here  fpoken 
of,  neither  comes  as  an  Evil,  nor  from  an  evil  Caufe,  either 
an  evil  efficient  Caufe,  or  procuring  Caufe  ;  nor  at  all  as 
any  Teftimony  of  God's  T)ifpleafure  to  the  Subjec"t,but  as 
properly  theEffe&of  G 06? s Favour, no  lefs  than  that  which 
is  fpoken  of  as  coming  by  Chrift  ;  yea,  and  as  much  as  that, 
appointed  by  an  Aft  of  JUSTIFICATION  of  the  Sub- 
jeft  ;  as  he  underftands  and  explains  the  Word,  Juftificati- 
on :  For  both  are  by  a  Grant  of  Favour,  and  are  Inftan- 
ces  of  Mercy  and  Goodnefs.  And  he  does  abundantly 
infift  upon  it,  that  «  ANY  Grant  of  Favour,  ANY  In- 
■?  (lance  of  Mercy  and  Goodnefs,  whereby  God  delivers 
f*  and  exempts  from  any  Kind  of  Danger,  Suffering  or 
"  Calamity,  or  confers  ANY  Favour,  Bleffing  or  Privi- 
"  lege,  is  called  Juftification,  in  the  Scripture-Senfe  and 
«  Ufe  of  the  Word."  * 

And  over  and  above  all  thefe  Things,  our  Author  makes 
void  and  deftroys  the  grand  and  fundamental  Oppofition 
of  all,  to  iliuftratc  which  is  the  chief  Scope  of  this  whole 
PaiTage,  viz.  That  between  the  fir  ft  andfecond  Adam,  in 
the  T>eath  that  comes  by  one,  and  the  Life  and  Happinefs 
by  the  othet .     For,  according  to  his  Doctrine,  both  come 

by 

*  .^,§.342.  where  'tis  to  beobferved,  that  he  himfelf  puts  the 
Word  ANY  in  Capital  Letters.  The  fame  Thing  in  Sub- 
ftance  is  often  afierted  elfewhere.  And  this  indeed  is  his 
main  Point  in  what  he  calls  tU  true  Gofpel- Scheme. 


Chap.iv.  ?  Explanation  0/Rom.v.  1 2,80:.  247 

by  Chrift,  thefecond  Adam  ;  both  by  his  Grace,  Righte- 
oufnefs  and  Obedience  :  the  Death,  that  God  fentenced 
Mankind  to  in  Gen.  iii.  19.  being  a  great  deal  more  pro- 
perly and  truly  by  Chrift,  than  by  Adam.  For,  accord- 
ing to  him,  that  Sentence  was  not  pronounced  on  theFoot 
of  the  Covenant  with  Adam,  becaufe  that  was  abrogated, 
and  entirely  fet  afide,as  what  was  to  have  no  more  Effect, 
before  it  was  pronounced ;  as  he  largely  infills  for  many  Pages 

together,  P.  389, 395.    He  fays,  P.  389.  "  This 

"  Covenant  with  Adam  was  difannul'd  immediately  after 
"  Adam  fin'd.  Even  before  God  pafs'd  Sentence  upon 
ct  Adam,  Grace  was  introduced."  And  in  P.  395.  He 
fays,  "The  Death  that  Mankind  are  the  Subjects  of  now, 
"  ftands  under  the  Covenant  of  Grace."  And  in  P.  396. 
€i  In  the  Counfel  and  Appointment  ©f  God,  it  ftood 
4C  in  this  very  Light,  even  before  the  Sentence  of  Death 
"  was  pronounced  upon  Adam  ;  and  confequently 
4C  Death  is  no  proper  and  legal  Punifhment  of  Sin."  And 
he  often  infifts,that  it  comes  only  as  a  Favour  8c  Benefit  : 
and  ftanding,  as  he  fays,  under  the  Covenant  of  Grace, 
which  is  by  Chrift,  therefore  is  truly  one  of  the  Benefits 
of  the  new  Covenant,  which  comes  by  Chrift,  the  fecond 
Adam.  For  he  himfelf  is  full  in  it,  to  ufe  his  own  Words,* 
"  That  all  the  Grace  of  the  Gofpel  is  di (pen fed  to  us 
"  IN,  BY  or  THROUGH  the  Son  of  God."  «  No- 
"  thing  is  clearer  (fays  he  f)  from  the  whole  Current  of 
<c  Scripture,  than  that  all  the  Mercy  and  Love  of  God, 
"  and  all  the  Bleffings  of  the  Gofpel,  from  firft  to  laft, — 
"    are  IN,BY  and  THROUGH  Chrift,and  particularly 

ft  by  his  Blood,  by  the  Redemption  that  is  in  him. ~ 

"  This  (fays  he)  can  bear  no  Difpute  among  Chriftians." 
What  then  becomes  of  all  this  Difcourfe  of  the  Apoftle's 
about  the  great  Difference  and  Oppofition  between  Adam 
and  Chrift  ;  as  Death  is  by  one,  and  eternal  Life  8c  Hap* 
pinefs  by  the  other  ?  This  grand  Diftin&ion  between  the 
two  Adams,  and  all  the  other  Inftances  of  Oppofition  and 

Difference, 

*  Key  Chap,  x.  Title,     f  Key  §,   119. 


248       Remarks  on  Dr.  T— r's        Part  IL 

Difference,  here  infilled  on,  as  between  the  Effects  of  Sin 
and  Right  eoufnefi9  the  Confequences  of  Obedience  and 
^D  if  obedience,  of  the  Offence  and  the  free  Gift,  Judgment 
and  Grace,  Condemnation  and  J  unification*  they  all  come 
to  Nothing  :  And  this  whole  Difcourfe  ot  the  A  pottle's 
wherein  he  feems  to  labour  much,  as  if  it  were  to  fet  forth 
fome  very  grand  and  mod  important  Difiinclions  and  Qp- 
pofitions  in  the  State  of  Things,  as  derived  from  the  two 
irreat  Heads  of  Mankind,  proves  nothing  but  a  Multitude 
of  Words  without  Meaning,  or  rather  an  Heap  of  Incon- 
fittences. 

V.  Our  Author's  own  Doctrine  intirely  makes  void 
what  he  fuppofes  to  betheApoitle's^rgw/zzt^fin  the  13  th 
and  14th  Verfes  ;  in  thefe  Words,  For  until  the  Law  Sin 
was  in  the  TVorld  :  but  Sin  is  not  imputed,  where  there 
is  no  Law,  JNeverthelefs  T>eath  reigned  from  Adam 
to  Mofes,  even  over  them  that  had  not  finned  after  the 
Similitude  of  Adam's  Tfranfgreffion. 

What  he  fuppofes  the  Apottle  would  prove  here,  is, 
that  Death  or  the  Mortality  of  Mankind  comes  only  by 
iAdam\  Sin,  and  not  by  Men's  per  final  Sins  ;  and  that 
it  is  here  proved  by  this  Argument,  viz.  Becaufe  there 
was  no  Law,  threatning  Death  to  Adam\  Pottcrity  for 
perfonal  Sins,  before  the  Law  of  Mofes  ;  but  Death  or 
Mortality  of  j£damr$  Pofterity  took  Place  many  Ages 
before  the  Law  was  given  ;  therefore  Death  could  not 
be  by  any  Law  threatning  Death  for  per  final  Sins,  and 
confequently  could  be  by  Nothing  but  Adam's  Sin.  * 
On  this  I  would  obferve, 

1.  That  which  he  fuppofes  the  Apottle  to  take  for  a 
Truth  in  this  Argument,  viz.  That  there  was  no  Lavj 
of  God  in  Being,  by  which  Men  were  expofed  to  Death 
for  perfonal  Sin,  during  the  Time  from  Adam  to  Mofes, 
is  neither  true,  nor  agreable  to  this  Apottle's  own  Doct- 
rine. 

Firft, 

'f  P.  40,  41,  42,  57,  and  often  elfewhere. 


Chap.iv.  )  Explanation  o/Rom.v.  1 23&c.  249 

Firfl,  It  is  not  true.  For  the  Law  of  Nature,  writ- 
ten in  Men's  Hearts,  was  then  in  Being,  and  was  a 
Law  by  which  Men  were  expofed  to  Death  for  perfonal 
Sin.  That  there  was  a  divine  Eftablifhment,  fixing  the 
Death  and  DeftrucYion  of  the  Sinner  as  the  Confequence 
of  perfonal  Sin,  which  was  well  known  before  the  giving 
of  Mofes's  Law,  is  plain  by  many  PafTages  in  the  Book 
of  Job  ;  as  fully  and  clearly  implying  a  Connection  be- 
tween fuch  Sin  and  fuch  a  Punifhment,  as  any  Paffage  in 
the  Law  of  Mofes  :  fuch  as  that  in  Job  xxiv.i  9. ^Drought 
and  Heat  confume  the  Snow*  Wat  en;  fo  doth  the  Grave 
them  that  have  finned,  (compare  ver.  20,  &  24.)  Alfo 
Chap,  xxxvi.  6.  He  preferveth  not  the  Life  of  the  Wicked, 
Chap.  xxi.  29, — 32.  Have  ye  not  ajhed  them  that  go  by 
the  Way  f  and  do  ye  not  know  their  Tokens  I  That  ths 
Wicked  is  referved  to  the  Day  of  eDeftruclion  ;  They 
pall  be  brought  forth  to  the  T>ay  of  Wrath.  — ver.  31. 
He  [ball  be  brought  to  the  Grave.  * 

Secondly,  To  fuppofe  that  there  is  no  Law  in  Being,by 
which  Men  are  expofed  to  Death  for  perfonal  Sins  ,whcre 
or  when  the  revealed  Law  of  God  in  or  after  ildfo/w'sTime 
is  not  in  Being,  is  contrary  to  this  Apoftlez  own  'Doclrine 
in  this  Epiftle.  Rom.  ii.  12,14,15-.  For  as  many  as  have 
finned  without  Law  (i.  e.  the  reveaPd  Law)  fh all  peri jh 
without  Law.  But  how  they  can  be  expofed  to  die  and. 
perifh,  who  have  not  the  Law  of  Mofes ,  nor  any  reveaPd 
Laxv,  the  Apoftle  fhews  us  in  the  14th  &  15th  Verfes  ; 
viz.  In  that  they  have  the  Law  of  Nature,  by  which  they 
fall  under  Sentence  to  this  Punifament.  For  when  the 
Gentiles  which  have  not  the  Lazu,  do  by  Nature  the 
Things  contain  d  in  the  Law,  thefe  having  not  the  Law, 
are  a  Lazu  to  thewf elves  j   which  Jhew  the  Work  of  the 

A  a  Law 

*  See  alfo  Job  iv.  7,  3,  9.  Chap.  xv.  17, 35.    Chap,  xviii. 

5, 21.  and  xix.  29.  and  xx.  4, 8.  and  ver.  23, 29. 

Chap.  xxi.  16, 18,  20, 26.  &  xxii.  13, 20.  xxvii. 

11.  to  the  End.  xxxi.  2,  3,  23.  xxxiii.  18,  22,  23,  24,  28, 
30.  xxxiv.  ii5  21,--— 26,  xxxvii.  12,  18,  19,  20,  &xxxviii. 
*h  14- 


2  50        Remarks  on  Dr.  T— r's      Part  IX, 

Law  written  in  theirtlearts  ;  their  Confcience  alfo  bear- 
ing Witnefs — Their  Confcience  not  only  bore  Witnefs  to 
the  Duty  prefcribed  by  this  Law,  but  alio  to  the  Puni fo- 
ment before  fpoken  of,as  that  which  they  who  fin"d  with- 
out Law,  were  liable  to  fufTer,  viz.  that  they  foould  pe- 
rifo.  In  which  the  Apoftle  is  yet  more  exprefs  Chap. 
i.  32.  fpeaking  more  efpecially  of  the  Heathen,  JVho 
knowing  the  Judgment  of  God,  that  they  which  commit 
fuch  'Things  ate  worthy  of  Death. — Dr.  T.  often  calls 
the  Law  the  Rule  of  Right  :  and  this  Rule  of  Right  fen- 
tenced  thofe  Sinners  to  Death,  who  were  not  under  the 
Law  of  Mofes,  according  to  thisAuthor's  own  Paraphrafe 
of  this  Verle,  in  thefe  Words,  "  The  Heathen  were  not 
u  ignorant  of  the  Rule  of  Right,  which  God  hasimplant- 
*'  ed  in  the  human  Nature  ;  and  which  foews  that  they 
u  which  commit  fuch  Things,  are  deferving  of  Death." 
And  he  himfelf  fuppofes  Abraham,  who  lived  between 
•Adam  and  Mofes,  to  be  under  Law,  by  which  he  would 
have  been  exfofed  to  PunifJjment  without  Hope,  were  it 
not  for  the  Promife  of  Grace,  —  in  his  Paraphrafe  on 
Rom.  iv.  15. 

So  that  in  our  Author's  Way  of  explaining  the  Paflage 
before  us.the  grand  Argument,  which  theApoftle  infills  upon 
here,  to  prove  his  main  Point, viz.  thatDeath  don't  come  by 
Men's  perfonal  Sins,  but  by  *Ada?n\  Sin,becaufe  it  came 
before  the  Law  was  given,  that  threaten'd  Death  for  Per- 
fonal Sin  ;  I  fay,  this  Argument  which  Dr.  T.  fuppofes  fo 
clear  and  flrong,  *  is  brought  to  Nothing  more  than  a 
meer  Shadow  without  Subftance  ;  the  veryFoundation  of 
the  Argument  having  no  Truth.  To  fay,  there  was  no 
fuch  Law  aclually  exprefs'd  in  any  {landing  Revelation, 
would  be  meer  Trifling  :  For  it  no  more  appears,  that 
God  would  not  bring  temporal  Death  for  perfonal  Sins, 
without  a  {landing  revealed  Law  threatning  it,  than  that 
he  would  not  bring  eternal  Death  before  there  was  a  re- 
vealed  Law  threatning  that  :  which  yet  wicked  Men  that 
lived  in  AToah's  Time,  were  expofed  to,  as  appears  by 
I  Pet. 

*  P.   393. 


Chap.iv. -)  Explanation  o/Rom.v.  1 2,&c.  2  z  i 

Sect.  I?  3 

1  jP#.  iii.  19,20.  and  which  Dr.  T*.  fuppofesall  Mankind 
are  expofed  to  by  their  perfonalSins  ;  and  he  himfelf  fays,* 
Sin  in  it's  own  unalterable  Nature  leads  to  Death. — Yea, 
it  might  be  argued  with  as  much  Strength  of  Reafon,  that 
God  could  bring  on  Men  no  Puniihment  at  all  for  any 
Sin,  that  was  committed  from  Adam  to  Mofes,  becaufe 
there  was  no  (landing  revealed  Law  then  extant,  threatning 
any  Puniihment.  It  may  here  be  properly  obferved,  that 
our  Author  fuppofes,  the  fhortening  of  Man's  Days, 
and  haftening  of  Death,  entered  Into  theWorld  by  the  Sin 
of  the  Antediluvians,  in  the  fame  Senfe  as  Death  and 
Mortality  entered  into  the  World  by  Adam\  Sin.  f  But 
where  was  there  any  {landing  revealed  Law  for  that,  tho 
theEvent  was  fo  univerfal  ?  If  God  might  bring  this  on  all 
Mankind,  on  Occafion  of  other  Men's  Sins,  for  which  they 
deferved  Nothing,  without  a  revealed  Law,  what  could 
there  be  to  hinder  God's  bringing  Death  on  Men  for  their 
perfonal  Sins,  for  which  their  own  Confciences  tell  'em 
they  do  deferve  Death,  without  a  revealed  Law  ? 

2.  If  it  had  been  fo,  that  from  Adam  to  Mofes  there 
had  been  no  Law  in  Being,  of  any  Kind,revealed  or  nam* 
rah  by  which  Men  could  be  properly  expofed  to  tempo- 
ral Death  for  perfonal  Sin,  yet  the  Mention  of  M'fes\ 
Law  would  have  been  wholly  impertinent,  and  of  no  Sig- 
nification in  the  Argument,  according  to  our  Author's  un- 
demanding  of  it.  He  fuppofes,  what  the  Apoftle  would 
prove,  is,  that  temporal  Death,  or  the  Death  we  now  die, 
comes  by  Adam ;  and  not  by  any  Law  threatening  fuch 
a  Puniihment  for  perfonal  Sin  ;  becaufe  this  Death  pre- 
vailed before  the  Law  of  Mofes  was  in  Being,  which  is 
the  onlyLaw  threatning  Death  for  perfonal  Sin.  And  yet  ha 
himfelf  fuppofes,  that  the  Lav/  of  Mofes,  when  it  was  in 
Being,  threatened  no  fuch  'Death  for  perfonal  Sin.  For 
he  abundantly  ailerts,  that  the  Death  which  the  Law  of 
Mofes  threatned  for  perfonal  Sin,  was  eternal  Death,  as 
has  been  already  noted  :  And  he  fays  in  exprefsTerms,that 
A  a  2  eternal 

*  P.  77,  78.  t  P.  68, 


252         Remarks  on  Dr.  T— r's      Part  II. 

eternal   Death  is  of  a  Nature  widely  different  from   the 
'Death  we  nozu  die  ;  *  as  was  alfo  obferved  before. 

How  impertinently  therefore  does  Dr.  T.  make  an  in- 
fpired  Writer  argue,  when  according  to  him  the  Apoftle 
would  prove,  that  this  Kind  of  Death  did  not  come  by 
any  Law  threatening  this  Kind  of  Death,  becaufe  it  came 
before  the  Exigence  of  a  Law  threatningflH^for  Kind  of 
Death,  of  a  Nature  widely  different  ?  How  is  it  to  the 
Apoftle's  Purpofe,  to  fix  on  that  Period,  the  Time  of 
giving  Mofes's  Law,  as  if  that  had  been  the  Period  where- 
in Men  began  to  be  threaten'd  with  this  Punifhment,  for 
their  perfonal  Sins,  when  in  Truth  it  was  no  fuch 
Thing  ?  And  therefore  it  was  no  more  to  his  Pur- 
pofe, to  fix  on  that  Period,  from  .Adam  to  Mofes,  than 
from  Adam  to  David,  or  any  other  Period  whatfoever. 
Dr.  T!  holds,  that  even  now,  (nice  the  Law  of  Mofes  has 
been  given,  the  Mortality  of  Mankind,  or  the  Death  we 
now  die,  don't  come  by  thatLaw;  but  that  it  always  comes 
only  by  Adam,  f  And  if  it  never  comes  by  that  Law, 
we  may  be  fure  it  never  was  threatned  in  that  Law. 

3.  If  we  iliould  allow  the  Argument  inDr.  T'—  r'sSenfe 
of  it,  to  prove  thatDeath  don't  come  by  perfonalSin, yet  it 
will  be  wholly  without  Force  to  prove  the  main  Point, 
even  that  it  muff  come  by  Adam's  Sin.  For  it  might 
come  by  God's  fovereign  and  gracious  Pleafure  ;  as  innu- 
merable other  divineBeneflts  do.  If  it  be  ordered,  agrea- 
ble  to  our  Author's  Supposition,  not  as  a  Punifhment,  nor 
as  a  Calamity,  but  only  a  Favour,  what  NeceiTity  of  any 
fettled  Conftitution,  or  revealed  Sentence,  in  order  to  the 
bellowing  fuch  a  Favour,  more  than  other  Favours  ;  and 
particularly  more than  that  great  Benefit,  which  he  fays 
entred  into  the  World  by  the  Sin  of  the  Antediluvians, 
the  fliortening  Men's  Lives  fo  much  after  the  Flood?— 
Thus  theApoftle's  arguing,  byDr.  jT — r's  Explanation  of 
it,  is  turned  into  meer  Trifling,  and  a  vain  and  imperti- 
nent Ufe  of  Words,  without  any  real  Force  or  Significance. 

VI.  The 

*  r\  396.  He  fays  to  the  like  Furpofe  in  his  Note  on  Rem.  v.ij- 
t  This  is  plain  by  what  Jie  fays,  P.  58,  40,  53,  393. 


^ect  7' }  Explanat*on  of  Rom. v.  i 2,&c.  253 

VI.  The  Apoftle  here  fpeaks  of  that  great  Benefit, 
which  we  have  by  Chrift  as  the  Antitype  of  Adam,  under 
the  Notion  of  a  Fruit  of  GRACE.  I  don't  mean  only 
that  Super-abounding  of  Grace,  wherein  the  Benefit  we 
have  by  Chrift:  goes  beyond  the  Damage  fuftain'd  by  Adam ; 
but  that  Benefit,  with  Regard  to  which  Adam  was  the 
Figure  of  him  that  ivas  to  come,  and  which  is  as  it  were 
the  Counterpart  of  the  Suffering  by  Adam,  and  which  re- 
pairs theLofs  we  have  by  him.  This  is  here  fpoken  of  as 
the  Fruit  of  the  free  Grace  of  God  ;  as  appears  by  ^.iy, 
16,17,18,20,21.  This,  according  to  our  Author,  is  the 
Reftoring  of  Mankind  to  that  Life  which  they  loft  in  A- 
dam :  and  he  himfelf  fuppofes  this  Reftoration  of  Life 
by  Chrift  to  be  what  Grace  does  for  us,  and  calls  it  the 
Free  Gift  of  God,  and  the  Grace  &  Favour  of  the  Law* 
giver.  *  And  fpeaking  of  this  Reft  oration,  he  breaks  out 
m  Admiration  of  the  unfpeakable  Riches  of  this  Grace.\\ 

But  it  follows  from  his  Doftrine,  that  there  is  NO 
Grace  at  all  in  this  Benefit,  and  it  is  no  more  than  a  meer 
Acl  of  Jufttce,  being  only  a  removing  of  what  Mankind 
fuffer,  being  innocent.  Death,  as  it  commonly  comes  on 
Mankind,  and  even  on  Infants  (as  has  been  obferved)  is  an 
extreme  pofltive  Calamity  ;  to  bring  which  on  the  perfect- 
ly innocent,  unremedied,  and  without  any  thing  to  coun- 
tervail it,  vye  are  fufficiently  taught,  is  not  confident  with 
the  Right eoufnefs  of  the  Judge  of  all  the  Earth.  What 
Grace  therefore,  worthy  of  being  fo  celebrated,  would 
there  be  in  affording  Remedy  and  Relief,  after  there  had 
been  bronght  on  innocent  Mankind  that  which  is  (as  Dr. 
jT.  himfelf  reprefents*)  the  dreadful  and  univerfal  De-r 
ftruclion  of  their  Nature  ;  being  a  finking  Demonftration 
how  infinitely  odious  Sin  is  to  God  !  What  Grace  in  de- 
livering, from  fuch  fhocking  Ruin,  them  that  did  not  de- 
ferve  the  leaft  Calamity  !  Our  Author  fays,  '  We  could 
i4  not  juftly  lofe  Communion  with  Godby  Adam's  Sin."-|- 
_If 

*  P.  39,  40,  70,  148,303.    See  alfoContents  of  this  Paragraph 
in  Rem.  v.  in  his  Notes  on  the  Epiftle,  and  his  Note  on  vc;\ 
'    15*16,17.     ||  P.  395.     *  69.     f  P.  148. 


254       Remarks  on  Dr.  T~r's       Part  II. 

If  fo,  then  we  could  not  juftly  lofe  our  Lives,  and  be  an- 
nihilated, after  a  Courfe  of  extreme  Pains  and  Agonies 
of  Body  and  Mind,  without  anyReftoration ;  which  would 
be  an  eternal  Lofs  of  Communion  with  God,  and  all  other 
Good,  befides  the  pofitive  Suffering.  The  Apoftle,  thrc- 
out  this  PafTage,  reprefents  the  Death,  which  is  the  Con- 
fequence of  Adam's  Tranfgreffion,  as  coming  in  a  Way 
of  Judgment  and  Condemnation  for  Sin  :  but  Deliverance 
and  Life  through  Chrift,  as  by  Grace,  and  the  free  Gift 
of  God.  Whereas,  on  the  contrary,byDr.T' — r'sScheme, 
theDeath  that  comes  by Adam,comesby Grace, greatGracey 
it  being  a  great  Benefit,  ordered  in  fatherly  Love  8c  Kind- 
Be  fs,  and  on  the  foot  of  a  Covenant  of  Grace  !  But  in 
the  Deliverance  &  Reftoration  by  Chrift,there  is  no  Grace 
at  all.  So  things  are  turned  toffy-turvy,  the  Apoftle's 
Scope  and  Scheme  intirely  inverted  and  confounded. 

VII.  Dr.  *T.  explains  the  Words,  Judgment,  Condem- 
nation, J ujlifi cation,  and  Right eoufnefs,  as  ufed  in  this 
Place,  in  a  very  unreafonable  Manner. 

I  will  firft  confider  the  Senfe  he  puts  upon  the  two  for- 
mer, Judgment  and  Condemnation.  He  often  calls  this 
Condemnation  a  judicial  A£l>  and  a  Sentence  of  Condem- 
nation. But,  according  to  his  Scheme,  'tis  a  judicial  Sen- 
tence of  Condemnation  pafs'd  upon  them  that  are  perfectly 
innocent,  and  view'd  by  the  Judge,  even  in  his  paffing  the 
Sentence  &  condemning  them,  as  having  noGuilt  of  Sin,  or 
Fault  at  all  chargeable  upon  them  ;  and  a  judicial  Pro- 
ceeding,  faffing  Sentence  arbitrarily,  without  any  Law  or 
Rule  of  Right,  before  eftablifhed  :  For  there  was  no  pre- 
ceeding  Law  or  Rule  threatning  Death,  that  he,  or  any 
one  elfe,  ever  pretended  to  have  been  eft abliiQied,but  only 
this,  In  the  Day  that  thou  eateft  thereof,  thou  Jh  alt  fur  e- 
fy  die.  And  concerning  this,  he  infifts,  that  there  is  not  a 
Word  faid  in  it  of  Adam's  Pofterity.  So  that  the  Con- 
demnation fpoken  of,  is  a  Sentence  of  Condemnation  to 
Death,  for,  or  in  Confequence  of  the  Sin  of  Adam,  with- 
out any  Law,  by  which  that  Sin  could  be  imputed,  to  bring 
any  foch  Confequence  5  contrary  to  the  Apoftle's  plain 

Scope: 


Chap.iv  }  Explanation  of  Rom. v.  1 2,&c.  255 

Scope.  And  not  only  fo,  but  over  and  above  all  this, 
'tis  a  judicial  Sentence  of  Condemnation  to  that  which  is 
no  Calamity,  nor  is  confidered  as  fuch  in  the  Sentence  : 
but  'tis  Condemnation  to  a  great  Favour  ! 

The  Apoftle  ufes  the  Words,  Judgment  and  Condem- 
nation, in  other  Places  ;  they  are  no  ftrange  and  unufual 
Terms  with  him  :  But  never  are  they  ufed  by  him  in  this 
Senfe,  or  any  like  it  ;  Nor  are  they  ever  ufed  thus  any 
where  elfe  in  the  New-Teftament.  This  Apoftle  else- 
where in  this  Epiftle  to  the  Romans  is  often  fpeaking  of 
Condemnation  ;  ufing  the  fame  or  fimilarTerms  &  Phrafes, 
as  here  ;  but  never  in  the  abovefaid  Senfe.  Chap.ii.1,2,3. 
Six  Times  in  thefe  Verfes  ;  alfo  f,  12  &  27.  and  Chap. 
iii.  7.  Chap.  viii.  1  &  3.  Chap.  xiv.  3,  4.  &  f.  10.  ^.13. 
f.  22,  &  23.  This  will  be  plain  to  every  one  that  cafts 
his  Eye  on  thefe  Places.  And  if  we  look  into  the  former 
Part  of  this  Chapter,  the  Apoftle's  Difcourfe  here  makes 
it  evident,  that  he  is  here  fpeaking  of  a  Condemnation,that 
is  no  Teilimony  of  Favour  to  the  innocent  ;  but  of  God's 
Difpleafure,  towards  thofe  that  he  is  not  reconciled  to,  but 
looks  on  as  Offenders,  Sinners,  and  Enemies,  and  holds 
as  the  Objects  of  his  Wrath,  which  we  are  delivered  from 
by  Chrift  ;  as  may  be  feen  in  Verfes  6,7,8,9,10  &  1 1. 

And  viewing  this  Difcourfe  it  felf,  in  the  veryParagraph 
we  arc  upon,  if  we  may  judge  any  thing  by  Language 
and  manner  of  Speaking,  there  is  every  thing  to  lead  us  to 
fuppofe,  that  the  Apoftle  ufes  thefe  Words  here,as  he  does 
elfewhere,  properly,  and  as  implying  a  Suppofition  of  Sin, 
chargeable  on  the  Subject,  and  expofing  to  Puniihmenf* 
He  fpeaks  of  Condemnation  with  reference  to  Sin,  as 
what  comes  by  Sin,  and  as  a  Condemnation  to  Death, 
which  feems  to  be  a  mofl  terrible  Evil,  and  capital  Punifli- 
ment,  even  in  what  is  temporal  and  vifible  ;  and  this  in 
the  Way  of  Judgment  and  Execution  of  Juftice,  inOppo- 
fition  to  Grace  or  Favour,  and  Gift  or  a  Benefit  coming 
by  Favour.  And  Sin  and  Offence,  TranfgrefTion  and 
Difbbedience  are,  over  and  over  again,  fpoken  of  as  the 
Ground  of  the  Condemnation  and  of  the  capital  Suffering 

condemned 


%$6       Remarks  on  Dr.  T--r's        Part  II. 

condemned  to, — for  tenVerfes  fucceffively,that  is,in  every 
Verfe  in  the  whole  Paragraph,  without  miffing  one. 

The  Words,  Juflification  and  Right eoufnefsl  are  ex- 
plained by  Dr.  ct.  in  a  no  lefs  tinrcafonable  Manner.  He 
underftandsjuflification  in  <\i  8th,  zndRighteoufnefs  in  tf. 
XQth, — in  fuch  a  Senfe,  as  to  fuppofe  'em  to  belong  to 
all,  and  actually  to  be  applied  to  all  Mankind,  good  and 
bad,Believers  ^Unbelievers ;  to  the  worftEnemies  of  God, 
remaining  fuch,  as  well  as  his  peculiar  Favourites,  &  many 
that  never  had  any  Sin  imputed  to  'em  ;  meaning  thereby 
no  more  than  what  is  fulfilled  in  an  univerfal  Re  fur  recti  on 
from  the  Dead,  at  the  laft  Day.*  Now  this  is  a  moil 
arbitrary,  forced  Senfe.  Tho  thefe  Terms  are  ufed  every 
where,  all  over  the  New  Teftament,  yet  nothing  like  fuch 
an  Ufe  of  'em  is  to  be  found,  in  any  one  Inftance,  thro'  ail 
the  Writings  of  the  Apoftles  &  Evangelifts.  The  Words, 
Juflify,  Juflification,  and  Right  eoufnef s ,  as  from  God  to 
Men,  are  never  ufed  but  to  fignify  a  Privilege  belonging 
only  to  fo?ne,  and  that  which  is  peculiar  to  dijiingutjhed 
Favourites.  This  Apoftle  in  particular,  above  all  the 
other  Writers  of  the  new  Teftament,  abounds  in  the  Ufe 
of  thefe  Terms  ;  fo  that  we  have  all  imaginable  Oppor- 
tunity to  understand  his  Language,  and  know  the  Senfe  in 
which  he  ufes  thefe  Words  :  But  he  never  elfewhere  ufes 
'em  in  the  Senfe  fuppofed  here,  nor  is  there  any  Pretence 
that  he  does.  Above  all,  does  this  Apoftle  abound  in  the 
Ufe  of  thefe  Terms  in  thisEpiftle.  JUSTIFICATION 
is  the  Subject  he  had  been  upon  through  all  the  preced- 
ing Part  of  the  Epiftle.  It  was  the  grand  Subject  of  all 
the  foregoing  Chapters,  and  the  preceeding  Part  of  this 
Chapter  ;  where  thefe  Terms  are  continually  repeated. 
And  the  Word,  Juflification,  is  conftantly  ufed  to  fignify 
fomething  peculiar  to  Believers,  who  had  been  Sinners ; 
implying  fome  Reconciliation  and  Forgivenefs  of  Sin,  and 
fpecial  Privilege  in  Nearnefs  to  God,  above  the  reft  of  -thfc 
World.     Yea,  the  Word  is  conftantly  ufed  thus,  according 

to 

*  So  P.  47.  49,  49,  60,  61,  62,  and  other  Places. 


Sf AP'  ITV* }  Explanation  of  Rom.  v.  1 25&c.  257 

to  Dr.  T" — r's  own  Explanations,  in  his  Paraphrafe  and 
Notes  on  this  Epiftle.  And  there  is  not  the  l'eaft  Reaion 
to  fdppofe  but  that  he  is  (till  fpeaking  of  the  (kmejujfi- 
fi cation  and  Rigbteoufnefs,  which  he  had  dwelt  upon  from 
the  Beginning,  to  this  Place.  He  fpcaks  of  Juflification 
and  Rigbteoufnefs  here  juft  in  the  fame  Manner,  as  he  had 
done  in  the  proceeding  Part  of  the  Epiftle.  He  had  ali 
along  fpoken  of  Juftihxation  -as  (landing  in  Relation  to 
Sin,  Difobedience  to  God,  and  Offence  againft  God,  and 
fo  he  does  here  :  He  had  before  been  fpeaking  of  Jufti- 
flcation thro'  free  Grace,  and  fo  he  does  here  :  He  before 
had  been  fpeaking  of  Juflificaticn  through  Rigbteoufnefs,  as 
in  Cbrift  Jefus,  and  fo  he  does  here. 

And  if  we  look  into  the  former  Part  of  this  veryChapter, 
there  we  (hall  find  Juflificaticn  fpoken  of  juft  in  the  fame 
Senfe  as  in  the  reft  of  the  Epiftle  ;  which  is  alfo  flippofcd 
by  our  Author  in  his  Expofition  :  ?Tis  ftill  Juflification 
by  Faith,  Juflification  of  them  that  had  been  Sinners, 
Justification  attended  with  Reconciliation,  Juftiflcation 
peculiar  to  them  that  had  the  Love  of  Godfied  abroad 
in  their  Hearts.  The  Apoftle's  foregoing  Difcourfe  on 
Juftiflcation  by  Grace,  through  Faith,  and  what  he  had  fo 
greatly  iniifted  on  as  the  Evidence  of  the  Truth  of  this 
Doctrine,  even  the  umverfal  Sinfulnefs  of  Mankind  in 
their  original  State,  is  plainly  what  introduces  this  Dif- 
courfe in  the  latter  Part  of  this  5th  Chapter  ;  where  he 
Chews  how  all  Mankind  came  to  be  finful  and  miferable, 
and  fo  to  need  this  Grace  of  God,  and  Rignteoufneft  of 
Chrift.  And  therefore  we  can't  without  the  moil  abfurd 
Violence,  iuppofe  any  other  than  that  he  is  ftill  fpeakin  ; 
of  the  fame  Juflijication. 

And  as  to  the  univerfal  Expreffion  tifed  in  the  iSth  f. 
By  the  Rigbteoufnefs  of  one,  the  free  Gift  came  upon 
ALL  MEN  to  Juflification  of  Life  \  'tis  ncediefs  here 
to  go  into  the  Controverfy  between  the  Remonftrards  and 
Ant  i -r  e  mo  rf  ranis,  concerning  univerfal  Redemption,  and 
their  different  Interpretations  of  this  Place.  If  we  take 
the  Words  even  as  the  Arminians  do  ;  yet,  in  their  Senfe 

B  b  of 


258       Remarks  on  Dr.  T— r's       Part  II. 

of  them,  the  free  Gift  comes  on  all  Men  to  Juitification 
only  Conditionally,  i.  e.  provided  they  believe,  repent,  &c. 
But  in  our  Author's  Senfe,  it  aclually  comes  on  all,  whe- 
ther they  believe  and  repent,  or  not ;  which  certainly  can't 
be  infer'd  from  the  univerfal  Expreflion,as  here  11  fed.  Dr. 
jT.  himfelf  fuppofes,  the  main  Defign  of  the  Apoftle  in 
this  univerfal  Phrafe,  All  Men,  is  to  fignify,that  the  Be- 
nefits of  Chrift  fhall  come  on  Gentiles,  as  well  as  Jews* 
And  heAfuppofes,that  the  Many,  and  the  All,  hereiignify 
the  fame  :  But  'tis  quite  certain,  that  all  the  Benefits  here 
fpoken  of,  which  the  Apoftle  fays  are  to  the  many,  don't 
actually  come  upon  all  Mankind;  as  particularly  the 
abounding  of Grace,  fpoken  of/.  18th.  "The  Grace  of 
God,  and  the  Gift  by  Grace,  hath  abounded  unto  the 
many,  &  ms  &oh.K*s, 

This  abounding  of  Grace  our  Author  explains  thus ; 
"  The  rich  Overplus  of  Grace,  in  ere&ing  a  new  Difpen* 
fation,  furnifhed  with  a  glorious  Fund  of  Light,  Means 
and  Motives."  But  will  any  pretend,  that  all  Mankind 
have  actually  beenPartakers  of  this  newFund  of  Light, &x  ? 
How  were  the  many  Millions  of  Indians,  on  the  Ameri- 
can Side  of  the  Globe,  Partakers  of  it,  before  the  Euro- 
peans came  hither  ?  Yea,  Dr.  T*.  himfelf  fuppofes,  all 
that  is  meant,  is,  that  it  is  free  for  all  that  are  willing 
to  accept  of  it.  +  The  Agreement  between  Adam  as  the 
Type  or  Figure  of  him  that  was  to  come,  and  Chrift  as 
the  Antitype,  appears  as  full  and  clcar,if  we  fuppofe,  ALL 
which  are  IN  CHRIST  (to  ufe  the  common  Scripture- 
Phrafe)  have  the  Benefit  of  his  Obedience,  as  ALL  that 
areIN  ADAM  have  the  forrowfulFruitof  hisDifobedience. 
The  Scripture  fpeaks  of  Believers  as  the  Seed  orPofterity 
ofChrift.(GW.iii.2  c/.)They  are  inChrifl  byGrace^%Adam\ 
Pofterity  are  in  him  by  Nature  :  The  one  are  in  the  fir  ft 
Adam  naturally,  as  the  other  are  in  the  fecond  Adam  fpi- 
ritually  :  exactly  agreable  to  the  Reprefentation  this  A- 
poftle  makes  of  the  Matter,  1  Cor.  xv.45, — 49-  ^e  Q^- 

ritual 

*  P.  6c,  bi.  See  aUb  Contents  ot  this  Paragraph,  in  his  Notes 
on  the  Epiftle.  f  Hu  Ibid. 


Chap.w*  I  Explanation  <?/Rom,v.  r  2  ,&c.  2  5  9 

ritual  Seed  are  thofe  which  this  Apoftle  often  reprefents 
as  Chaffs  Body :  And  the  di  ^\U:  here  fpoken  of  as  made 
righteous  by  Chad's  Obedience,  are  doubtlefs  the  fame 
with  the  oi  vGh^oi  which  he  fpeaks  of  in  Chap.  xii.  5.  We, 
being  many,  are  one  Body  ;  or,  We,  the  many,  dt  <7roh\oi  i'v 
cap*  &rpiv  And  again, iCor.x.i  7.  tV&p*  o'j  <ttoX\o{  tapd'.  And 
the  fame  which  the  Apoftle  had  fpoken  of  in  the  preceed- 
ing  Chapter,  Rom.  iv.  1 8.  compared  with  Gen.  xv.  5. 

Dr.  T.  much  infills  on  that  Place,  1  Cor.  xv.  21,  22. 
For  fince  by  Man  came  Death,  by  Man  came  alfo  the 
Refurreclion  of  the  Dead  :  For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  fo 
in  Chrift  ffj  all  all  be  made  alive  ;  to  confirm  his  Suppo- 
fitions,  that  the  Apoftle  here  in  the  5th  of  Romans,  fpeak- 
ing  of  the  Death  &  Condemnation  which  come  by  Adam, 
has  refpeel:  only  to  the  Death  -we  all  die,  when  this  Life 
ends  ;  And  that  by  the  Juftification  and  Life  which  come 
by  Chrift,  he  has  refpeel:  only  to  the  general  Refurreclion 
at  the  lad  Day.  But  it  is  obfervable,  that  his  Argument 
is  wholly  built  on  thefe  two  Suppofitions,  viz.  Firft,  that 
the  Refurreclion  meant  by  the  Apoftle,  in  that  Place  in 
the  1  Cor.  xv.  is  the  Refurreclion  of  all  Mankind,  both 
juft  and  unjuft.  Secondly,  That  the  oppofite  Confequences 
of  Adam's  Sin,  and  Chrift's  Obedience,  fpoken  of  here  in 
Rom.  5th,  are  the  very  fame,  neither  more  nor  lefs,  as 
are  fpoken  of  there.  But  there  are  no  Grounds  for  fup- 
pofing  either  of  thefe  things  to  be  true. 

1.  There  is  no  Evidence,  that  the  Refurreclion  there 
fpoken  of,  is  the  Refurre&ion  both  of  the  J  aft  &  Unjuft ; 
but  abundant  Evidence  of  the  contrary.  The  Refurreclion 
of  the  Wicked  is  feldom  mention'd  in  the  New  Tefta* 
ment,  and  rarely  included  in  the  Meaning  of  the  Word;  it 
being  efteemed  not  worthy  to  be  called  a  Rifing  to  Life* 
being  only  for  a  great  Increafe  of  the  Mifery  and  Dark- 
nefs  of  eternal  Death  :  And  therefore  by  the  Refurreclion 
is  moft  commonly  meant  a  Rifmg  to  Life  and  Happinefs  ; 
as  may  be  obferved  in  Matth.  xxii.  30.  Luk.  xx.  35,  36, 
Joh.  vi-  39,  40,  54.  Philip,  iii.  11.  and  other  Places. 
The  Saints,  are  called  the  Children  of  the  Refurreclion^  as. 

B  b  2       -  Ite 


260         Remarks  on  Dr.  T—r's       Part  II. 

Dr.  T  obferves  in  his  Note  on  Rom.  viii.  n.  And  'tis 
exceeding  evident,  that  'tis  the  RefurrecYion  to  Life  and 
Happinefs,  the  Apoftle  is  fpeaking  of  in  this  i  Cor.  xv. 
2  1,22.  It  appears  by  each  of  the  three  foregoing  Verfes, 
y.  I  8.  Then  they  which  are  fallen  ajleep  IN  CHRIST 
(i.  e.  the  Saints)  are  perifhed.  ;/•.  19.  If  In  this  Life  only 
IFE  (Chriftians  or  Apoftles)  have  Hope  in  Chrijl,  (and 
have  no  Refurrection  and  eternal  Life  to  hope  for)  zue  are 
of  all  Men  moft  miferable. — ^.20. But  now  is  Chrijl  rifen 
from  the  T>ead,  and  is  become  the  FIRST  FRUITS 
of  them  that  fie pt.  He  is  the  Forerunner  and  firft  Fruits 
only  with  refpecl  to  them  that  are  his ;  who  are  to  follow 
him,  and  partake  with  him  in  the  Glory  and  Happinefs  of 
1  lis  RefurrecYon  :  but  He  is  not  the  firflFruits  of  them  who 
jhallcome  forth  to  the  RefurrecYion  of  'Damnation.  It  alfo 
appears  by  the  Verfe  immediately  following.  >\  23.  But 
every  Man  in  his  own  Order  ;  Chrifl  the  firft  Fruits, 
and  afterwards,  they  that  are  CbrifFs,  at  his  Coming. 
The  fame  is  plain  by  what  is  (aid  in  /.  29,  30,  3  1,  &  32  j 
and  by  all  that  is  faid  from  the  35th  /-.  to  the  End  of  the 
Chapter,  for  twenty  three  Verfes  together  :  It  there  ex- 
prefly  appears,  that  the  Apoftle  is  fpeaking  only  of 
a  Riling  to  Glory,  with  a  glorious  Body,  as  the  little  Grain 
that  is  fown,  being  quickened,  rifes  a  beautiful  flour'fhing 
Plant.  He  there  (peaks  of  the  different  Degrees  of  Glory 
among  them  that  (h all  rife,  and  compares  it  to  the  different 
Degrees  of  Glory  among  the  celeftial  Luminaries.  The 
Refurrection  which  he  treats  of,  isexprefly  a  being  raifed 
in  Incorruption,  in  Glory,  in  Power,  with  a.  fpiritual 
Body, having  ihelmage  of  the  fe c 0 nd 'Man, the  fpiritual  and 
heavenly  Adam  ;  a  Refill  recYon,wherein  this  corruptible 
jhall  put  onIncorruption,&  this  Mortal  put  onlmmortality, 
and  Death  be  j wallowed  up  inViclory  ,and  the  Saints  fhall 
plorioufly  triumph  over  that  laft  Enemy.  Dr.  T.  himfelf 
fays  that  which  is  in  Effect  owning, theRefurrcclion  here  fpo- 
ken  of,  is  only  of  theRighteous  :  for  'tis  exprefly  a  Relur- 
recYon <v  xfayacix  rnd  aqSwpi*  f.  53,  and  42.  But  Dr.T. 
iays,  Thefe  are  ncv-:r  attributed  to  the  IFicked.Jn  Scrip- 
ture, 


^ct'Y  1  Explanati°n  of  Rom.v.  1 2,&c.  261 

ture*  So  that  when  the  A  pod  le  fays  here,  As  in  Adam 
all  die,  fo  in  Chrift  Jhall  all  be  made  alive  \  'tis  as  much 
as  if  he  had  faid,  As  in  Adam, we  all  die,  and  our  Bodies 
are  fozvn  in  Corruption,  in  T)iJhonour,  and  in  Weaknefs  ; 
fo  in  Chrift  zue  all  (we  Chridians,  whom  I  have  been  all 
along  fpeaking  of)  Jhall  be  raifed  in  Pozver,  Glory  and 
Incorrupt  ion,  fpiritual  and  heavenly,  conformed  to  the 
fecond  Adam.  For  as  we  have  born  the  Image  of  the 
earthy, we  (hall  alfo  bear  the  Image  of the  heavenly,  /-. 49. 
Which  clearly  explains  and  determines  his  Meaning  in 
y.  21,  22. 

2 .  There  is  no  Evidence, that  the  Benefit  by  the  fecond 
Adam,  fpoken  of  itiRom^th^s  the  very  fame  (containing 
neither  more  nor  lefs)  as  the  Refurre&ion  fpoken  of 
in  1  Cor.  xv.  It  is  no  Evidence  of  it,  that  the  Benefit 
is  oppofed  to  the  Death  that  comes  by  the  firfl  Adam,  in 
like  Manner  in  both  Places.  TheRefurre&ion  to  eternal 
Life,  tho  it  be  not  the  whole  of  that  Salvation  and  Happi- 
nefs  which  comes  by  the  fecond  Adam,  yet  is  it  that 
wherein  this  Salvation  is  principally  obtained.  The  Time 
of  the  Saints  glorious  Refurre&ion  is  often  fpoken  of  as 
the  proper  Time  of  the  Saints  Sa\vat\on,TheT)ay  of  their 
Redemption,  The  Time  of  their  Adopt  ion, Glory  and  Re- 
compence.  (As,  in  Eph.  iv.  30.  Rom.  viii.  23.  Luk.  xiv. 
14.  &  xxi.  28.  2  Tim.  iv.  1,  9.  Colof.  iii.  4.  1  Theft],  7. 
Heb.  ix.  23.  1  Pet.  \.  13.  &  v.  4.  1  y^.iii.  2.  and  other 
Places.)  Ail  that  Salvation  and  Happinefs  which  is  given 
before,  is  only  a  Prelibation  and  Earned  of  their 
great  Reward.  Well  therefore  may  that  confummate  Sal- 
vation bed  owed  on  them,  be  fet  in  Oppofition  to  theDeath 
and  Ruin  which  comes  by  the  fird  Adam,  in  like  Manner 
as  the  whole  of  their  Salvation  is  oppofed  to  the  fame  in 
Rom.  v. — DrT*.  himfelf  obfervesf,  That  the  Revival  and 
Refurreclion  of  the  Body,  is  frequently  put  for  our  Ad- 
vancement to  eternal  life.  It  being  the  highed  Part,  'tis 
often  put  for  the  W'hole. 

This 


*  Note  on  Rom,  viii,  28,  t  Note  on  Rom.,  viii,  n. 


262         Remarks  on  Dr.  T~r's     Part  II. 

This  Notion,  as  if  the  Juftification,  Righteoufnefs  and 
Life  fpoken  of  in  Rom.  5th,  imply'd  the  RefurrecYion  to 
Damnation,  is  not  only  without  Ground  from  Scripture, 
but  contrary  to  Reafon.  For  thofeThings  are  there  fpoken 
of  as  great  Benefits,  by  the  Grace  and  free  Gift  of  God  : 
but  this  is  the  contrary,  in  the  higheft  Degree  poflible,  be- 
ing the  moll:  con fummate  and  infinite  Calamity. — To  ob- 
viate this,  our  Author  fuppofes  the  Refurre&ion  of  all  to 
be  a  great  Benefit  in  it  f elf  tho  turned  into  a  Calamity  by 
the  Sin  and  Folly  of  obftinate  Sinners,  who  abufe  God's 
Goodnefs.  But  the  far-  greater  Part  of  Mankind  fince 
*Adam  have  never  had  Opportunity  to  abufe  this  Good- 
nefs it  having  never  been  made  known  to  them.  Men 
can't  abufe  a  Kindnefs,  which  they  never  had  either  in 
PoiTeflion,  Promife,  Offer,  or  fome  Intimation  :  But  a  Re- 
furre&ion  is  made  known  only  by  divine  Revelation  ;  which 
few  comparatively  have  enjoyed.  So  that  as  to  fuch  wick- 
ed Men  as  die  in  Lands  of  Darknefs,  if  their  Refurrc&ion 
comes  at  all  by  Chrift,  it  comes,  from  him  and  to  them, only 
as  a  Curfe,  and  not  as  a  Bleiling  ;  for  it  never  comes  to 
them  at  all  by  any  Conveyance,  Grant,  Promife, ox  Offer, 
or  any  thing  by  which  they  can  claim  it,  or  know  any 
thing  of  it,  till  it  comes  as  an  infinite  Calamity,  pad  all 
Remedy. 

VIII.  In  a  peculiar  Manner  is  there  an  unreafonable 
"Violence  ufed  in  our  Author's  Explanation  of  the  Words 
Sinners  and  finned \  in  the  Paragraph  before  us.  He  fays, 
"  Thefe  Words,  My  one  Marts  'D  if  obedience, many  were 
"  made  Sinners,  mean  neither  more  nor  lefs,  than  that  by 
'*  one  Man's  Difobedience  the  Many  were  made  fiibjecl: 
f*  to  Death,  by  the  judicial  Aft  of  God."*  And  he  fays  in 
the  famePlace,  "ByDeatb,moft  certainly,is  meant  no  other 
"  than  the  Death  &  Mortality  common  to  all  Mankind." 
And  thofe  Words,  f.  12.  For  that  all  have  finned,  he  thus 
explains,  "  All  Men  became  Siwiers,  as  all  Mankind  are 
"  brought  into  a  State  of  Suffering."!     Here  I  obferve, 

i.   The 

*  P.  3°«  t  P»  54-  and  elfewhere. 


^ect  T  \  Explanation  of  &om.v.  1 2,8cc.  263 

1.  The  main  Thing,  by  which  he  juftifies  fuch  Inter- 
pretations, is,  that  Sin,  in  various  Inftances,  is  ufed  for 
Suffering,  in  the  old  Teftament.  To  which  I  reply  j 
Tho'  it  be  true,  that  the  Word  Chattaah,  fignifies  both 
Sin,  and  a  Sin-offering  j  and  this,  and  fome  other  Hebrew 
Words,  which  fignify  Sin,  Iniquity,  &Wickednefs,are  fome- 
times  put  for  theEfTect  or  Punifhment  of  Iniquity , by  aMe- 
tonymy  of  the  Caufe  for  the  Effect  ;  yet  it  does  not  ap- 
pear, that  thefe  Words  are  ever  ufed  for  enduring  Suffer- 
ing, where  the  Suffering  is  not  fpoken  of  under  anyNotion 
of  a  Punifhment  of  Sin,  or  a  Fruit  of  God's  Anger  for 
Sin,  or  of  any  Imputation  of  Guilt,  or  under  any  Notion 
of  Sin's  being  at  all  laid  to  the  Charge  of  the  Sufferer, 
or  the  Suffering's  being  at  all  of  the  Nature  of  anyRecom- 
pence,  Compenfation  or  Satisfaction  for  Sin.  And  there- 
fore none  of  the  Inftances  he  mentions,  come  up  to  his 
Purpofe.  When  Lot  is  commanded  to  leave  Sodom,  that 
he  might  not  be  confumed  in  the  Iniquity  of  the  City, 
meaning,  in  that  Fire,  which  is  the  Effect  and  Punifhment 
of  the  Iniquity  of  the  City  ;  this  is  quite  another  Thing, 
than  if  that  Fire  came  on  the  City  in  general  as  no  Pu- 
nifhment at  all,  nor  as  any  Fruit  of  a  Charge  of  Iniquity 
on  the  City,  or  of  God's  Difpleafure  for  their  Sin,  but  as 
a  Token  of  God's  Favour  to  the  Inhabitants  ;  Which  is 
what  is  fuppofed  with  refpect  to  the  Death  of  Mankind  ;  it 
being  introduced  only  as  a  Benefit,  on  the  Foot  of  a  Co- 
venant of  Grace.  And  efpecially  is  this  quite  another 
Thing,  than  if,  in  the  ExprefTion  ufed,  the  Iniquity  had 
been  afcribed  to  Lot ;  and  God,inftead  of  faying,Left  thou 
be  confumed  in  the  Iniquity  of the  City. .had  faid,Leil  thou 
be  confumed  in  thine  Iniquity, ox,  Left  thou  Sin,ov  be  made 
a  Sinner.  Whereas,the  Expreffion  is  fuch  as  does  exprefly 
remove  the  Iniquity,fpoken  of,from  Lot,and  fix  it  on  ano- 
ther Subject,  viz.  the  City.  The  Place  cited  by  our  Au- 
thor,in  y^r.li. — is  exactlyParallel.  And  as  to  what  *Abi- 
meleck  fays  to  Abraham,  TVhat  have  I  offended  thee, that 
thou  hajl  brought  on  me,  and  on  my  Kingdom, a  great  Sin  f 
'Tis  manifeft,  Abimekck  was  afraid;  that  God  was  angry, 

for 


264        Remarks  on  Dr.  T— n       Part  II. 

for  what  he  had  done  to  Sarah  or ;  would  have  been  angry 
with  him,  if  he  had  done  what  he  was  about  to  do,  as  im- 
puting Sin  to  him  for  it  :  which  is  a  quite  diffcrentThing 
from  calling  fome  Calamity,  Sin,  under  no  Notion  of  it's 
being  any  Punifhment  of  Sin, nor  in  the  lead  Degree  from 
God's  Difpleafure.     And  Co   with  regard   to  every  Place 
our  Author  cites  in  the  Margin,    'tis   plain,  that  what   is 
meant  in  each  of  them,   is  the  Punt  foment  of  Sin,  and  not 
fome  Suffering  which  is  no  Punifhment  at  all.     And  as  to 
the  Inftances  he  mentions  in  his  Supplement,  P.  284.  the 
Two  that  look  mofl  favourable  to  his  Defign,  are  thofe  in 
Gen.  xxxi.  39.  &  2  Kin.  vii.  9. — With  re f peel:  to  the  for- 
mer, where  Jacob  fays,   That  which  was  torn  of  Beafts, 
Anochi  achattenah  —  Which  Dr.  T.  is  pleafed  to  tranflate, 
I  was  the  Sinner :  but   is  properly  render'd,  /  expiated 
it  ;  the  Verb   in  Pihel  properly    flgnifying   to  expiate. 
And  the  plain  Meaning  is,  i"  bore  the   Blame  of  it,    and 
was  obliged  to  pay  for  it,    as  being  fuppofed    to   be    loft 
thro  my  Fault  or  Neglect.     Which   is   a  quite  different 
Thing  from  Suffering  without  any  Supposition  of  Fault. 
And  as  to  the  latter  Place,  where   the  Lepers   fay,  This 
T)ay  is  a  T>ay  of  good  Tidings,  and  we  hold  our  Peace  : 
If  we  tarry  till  Morning,  fome  Mifchiefzuill  befal  us.    In 
the  Hebrew,  Umetzaanu  gnaon  ;    -Iniquity  will  find  us, 
that  is,  Some  Punifhment  of  our  Fault  will  come  upon  us. 
Elfcwhere  fuch  Fhrafes  are  ufed,  as,    Tour  Iniquity  %vill 
find  you  out,  and  the  like.     But  certainly  this  is  a  different 
Thing  from  fuffering  withoutFault,orSuppofition  of  Fault. 
And  it  does  not  appear,  that  theVerb  in  Wiphi\9Hirfiiang, 
is  ever  put  for  condemn  in  any  otherSenfe  than  condemning 
for  Sin,orGuilt,  or  fuppofed  Guilt, belonging  to  theSubjecl: 
condemned.    This  Word  is  ufed, in  thePai  ticiple  of  Hiphil, 
to  fignify  condemning^  Prov.xv'n.  1 5.     He  that  juflifieth 
the  fVicked,  and  he  that  condemneth  the  Jufl,  even  both 
are  an  .Abomination  to  the  Lord.      This  Dr.  T.  obferves, 
as  if  it  were  to   his  Purpofe,   when  he  is  endeavouring  to 
ilievv,  that  in  th  s  Place  in  the  5th  of  Romans,  the  Apoftle 
fpe.iks  of  God   Himfelf  as  condemning  the  jufl,   or  per- 
fectly 


Chap.iv. ?  Explanation  0/Rom.v.  1 2,&c.  26  c 

Sect.  1.  3         x 

fectly  innocent,  in  a  Parallel-Signification  of  Terms.  Nor 
is  any  Iniiance  produced,  wherein  the  Verb,  Sin,  which  is 
11  fed  by  the  Apoftle  when  he-fays,  All  have  finned,  is  any 
where  ufed  in  our  Author's  Senfe,  for  being  brought  into 
a  State  of  Suffering,  and  that  not  as  a  Punifh ment  for  Sin, 
or  as  any  Thing  arifing  from  God's  Difpleafure  ;  much 
lefs  for  being  the  Subject  of  what  comes  only  as  the  Fruit 
of  divine  Love,  and  as  a  Favour  of  the  HIGHEST  NA- 
TURE.* Nor  can  any  thing  like  this  Senfe  of  the  Verb 
be  found  in  the  whole  Bible. 

2.  If  there  had  been  any  thing  like  fuch  an  Ufe  of  the 
Words,  Sin  and  Sinner,  as  our  Author  fuppofes,  in  the 
old  Teftament,  'tis  evident  that  fuch  an  Ufe  of  them  is 
quite  aliene  from  the  Language  of  the  New  'Teftament. 
Where  can  an  Inffance  be  produced,  of  any  thing  like  it, 
in  any  one  Place,  befides  what  is  pretended  in  this  ?  And 
particularly,  Where  elfe  mail  we  find  thefe  Words  &Phrafes 
ufed  in  fuch  a  Senfe,  in  any  of  ihisApofile's  Writings  ?  We 
have  enough  of  his  Writings,  by  which  to  learn  his  Lan- 
guage and  Way  of  fpeaking  about  Sin,  Condemnation, 
P  uniftj  me  nt, Death  and  Suffering,  He  wrote  much  more 
of  the  New  Teftament,  than  any  other  Perfon.  He  very 
often  has  Occafion  to  fpeak  of  Condemnation  ;  but  where 
does  he  exprefs  it  by  being  made  Sinners  ?  Efpecially  how 
far  is  he  elfewhere  from  ufing  fuch  a  Phrafe,  to  fignify  a 
being  condemned  without  Guilt,  or  any  Imputation  or 
Suppofition  of  Guilt,  or  Atonement  for  Guilt  ?  VaftJy 
more  ftili  is  it  remote  from  his  Language,  fo  to  ufe  theVerb 
Sin,  and  to  fay,  Man  Jinneth,  or  has  finned,  tho'  hereby 
meaning  Nothing  more  nor  lefs,  than  that  he,  by  a  judicial 
Act,  is  condemned,on  the  Foot  of  a  Difpenfation  of  Grace, 
to  receive  a  great  Favour  !  He  abundantly  ufes  the 
Words,  Sin  and  Sinner  ;  his  Writings  are  full  of  fuch 
Terms  :  but  where  elfe  does  he  ufe  them  in  fuch  a  Senfe  ? 
He  has  much  Occafion  in  his  Epifllcs  to  fpeak  of  Death, 
temporal  and  eternal  j  He  has  much  Occafion  to  fpeak  of 

C  c  Suffering, 

,   I,,,,   ,.|, „„m 1.  in  im     111  1  1  1  111  11  mm     1  — 

*   P.    303- 


266        Remarks  on  Dr.  T— r's        Part  II. 

Suffering,  of  all  Kinds,  in  this  World,  and  the  World  to 
come  :  But  where  does  he  call  thefe  things  Sin  ?  and  de- 
nominate innocent  Men  Sinners  P  or  fay,  They  have 
finned,  meaning  that  they  are  brought  into  a  State  of 
Suffering  ?  If  the  '  poftle,  becaufe  he  was  a  Jew,  was  fo 
addicted  to  the  Hebrew  Idiom,  as  thus  in  one  Paragraph  to 
repeat  this  particular  Hebraifm,  which,  at  mod:,  is  compa- 
ratively rare  even  in  the  old  Teftament,  'tis  ftrange  that 
never  any  thing  like  it  fhould  appear  any  where  elfe  in  his 
Writings;  and  efpecially  that  he  fhould  never  fa.i  into  fuch 
a  Way  of  fpeaking  in  his  Epiftle  to  the  Hebrezus ,  written 
to  yews  only,  who  were  mod  ufed  to  the  Hebrew  Idiom. 
And  why  does  Chrifl  never  ufe  fuch  Language  in  any 
of  his  Speeches,  tho'  he  was  born  and  brought  up  amongft 
the  jezi's,  and  delivered  almoft  all  his  Speeches  only  to 
yezvi  ? — And  why  do  none  of  the  reft  of  the  Writers  of 
the  New  Teftament  ever  ufe  it,  who  were  all  born  and 
educated  yews  (at  leaft  all  excepting  Luke)  and  fome  of 
them  wrote  efpecially  for  the  Benefit  of  the  Jews  ? 

'Tis  worthy  to  be  obferved,  what  Liberty  is  taken,  anc[ 
Boldnefs  ufed  with  thisApoftle  ;  fuch  Words  as  a^proX.©-, 

WfAXOrawoo    k.iux,  KaratkfifAa,  Sik'MO®,  2'.x.'mco(jiS,    and     W  ords     Of 

the  fame  Root  &  Signification,  are  Words  abundantly  ufed 
by  him  elfewhere  in  this  and  other  Epiftles,  and  alfo  when 
fpeaking,  as  he  is  here,  of  Chrift's  Redemption  &  Atone- 
ment, and  of  the  general  Sinfulnefs  of  Mankind,  and  of 
the  Condemnation  of  Sinners,  &  of  Juftification  by  Chrift, 
and  of  Death  as  the  Confequence  of  Sin,  and  of  Life  and 
Reftoration  to  Life  by  Chrift,  as  here  ;  yet  no  where  are 
any  of  thefe  Words  ufed,  but  in  a  Senfe  very  remote  from 
what"  is  fuppofed  here.  However,  in  this  Place  thefe 
Terms  mull  have  a  diftinguijhed  fingular  Senfe  found  out 
for  them,  and  annexed  to  'era  !  A  new  Language  muft  be 
coin'd  for  the  Apoftle,  which  he  is  evidently  quite  unu fed 
to,  and  put  into  his  Mouth  on  this  Occafion,  for  the  fake 
of  evading  this  clear,  precife  and  abundant  Teftimony  of 
his,  to  the  Doitrine  of  original  Sin. 

3-  The 


c^AP:\v'if  Explanation  of  'Rom. v.  12  5&c  267 

3.  The  putting  fuch  a  Scnfe  on  the  Word,  Sin,  in  this 
Place,  is  not  only  to  make  the  Apoftle  greatly  to  di (agree 
with  himfelf  in  theLanguage  he  ufes  every  where  elfe,but 
alio  to  difagree  with  himfelf  no  lefs  in  the  Language  he 
ufes  in  this  very  Paflage,  He  often  here  ufes  the  Word 
Sin,  and  other  Words  plainly  of  the  fame  Defign  and  Im- 
port, fuch  as  TranfgreJJion,  T)  if  obedience,  Offence.  No- 
thing can  be  more  evident, than  that  thefe  are  here  u fed  as 
feveral  Names  of  the  fameThing  ;  for  they  are  ufed  inter- 
changeably, and  put  one  for  another  ;  as  will  be  manifefl 
only  on  the  Cafl  of  an  Eye  on  the  Place.  And  thefeWords 
are  ufed  no  lefs  than  feventeen  Times  in  this  one  Para- 
graph. Perhaps  we  mall  find  no  Place  in  the  whole  Bible, 
in  which  the  Word,S/«,  and  other  Words  Synonymous,  are 
ufed  fo  often  in  fo  little  Compafs :  and  in  all  the  Inftanccs, 
in  the  proper  Senfe,  as  (ignifying  moral  Evil,  and  even 
fo  understood  by  Dr.  T".  himfelf  (as  appears  by  his  own 
Expofition)  but  only  in  thefe  two  Places  ;  where  in  the 
Midlt  of  all,  to  evade  a  clear  Evidence  of  the  Doctrine  of 
Original  Sin,  another  Meaning,  mull  be  found  out,  and  it 
mud  be  fnppofed  that  the  Apoftle  ufes  the  Word  in  a 
Senfe  intirely  different,  Signifying  fomething  that  neither 
implies  nor  juppofes  any  moral  Evil  at  all  in  the  Subject. 

Here  'tis  very  remarkable,the  Gentleman  who  fogreatly 
infifted  upon  it,  that  the  Word,  "Death,  muft  needs  be  un- 
derstood urthefa/ne  Senfe  throughout  this  Paragraph  ;  yea, 
that  it  is  evidently,  clearly  and  infallibly  fo,  in  as  much  as 
the  Apoftle  is  ftill  difcourfing  on  the  fame  Subject  ;  yet 
can,  without  the  leaft  Difficulty,  fuppofethe  Word,  Sin, 
to  be  ufed  fo  differently  in  the  very  fame  Paflage,  wherein 
the  Apoftle  is  difcourfing  on  the  fame  Thing.  Let  us  take 
that  one  Inftance  in  f.  12.  Wherefore  as  by  one  Man 
SIN  entered  into  the  World,  and  'Death-  by  SIN,  and 
fo  Death  pa/fed  upon  all  Men,  for  that  all  have  SIN- 
NED. Here,  by  Sin,  implied  in  theWord,  fnned,'m  the 
End  of  the  Sentence,  our  Author  understands  fomething 
perfectly  and  altogether  diverfe  from  what  is  meant  by  the 
Word  Sin,  not  only  in  fcthe  fame  Difcourfe,  on  the  fame 

C  c  2  Subject, 


268        Remarks  on  Dr.  T~r's      Part  II. 

Subject,  but  twice  in  the  former  Part  of  the  very  fame  Sen- 
tence, of  which  this  latter  Part  is  not  only  theConclufion, 
but  the  Explication  :  And  alfo  intirely  different  from  the 
the  Ufe  of  the  Word  twice  in  the  next  Sentence,  wherein 
the  Apodle  is  dill  moil  plainly  difcourfingon  the  fame  Sub- 
jects is  not  denied  :  And  in  the  nextSentence  to  that(y.i4.) 
the  Apodle  ufes  the  very  fame  Verb,  finned,  and  as  figni- 
fying  the  committing  of  moral  Evil,  as  our  Author  himfelf 
underftands  it.  Afterwards  (jl.  19.)  the  Apodle  ufes  the 
Word,  Sinners,  which  our  Author  fnppofes  to  be  in  fome- 
what  of  a  different  Senfe  dill.  So  that  here  is  theutmod 
Yiolence,of  theKind,  that  can  be  conceived  of, to  make  out 
a  Scheme,  againft  the  plained  Evidence,  in  changing  the 
Meaning  of  a  Word,  backward  and  forward,  in  one  Para- 
graph, all  about  one  Thing,  and  in  different  Parts  of  the 
fame  Sentences,coming  over  and  over  in  quick  Repetitions, 
with  a  Variety  of  other  fynonymous  Words  to  fix  it's  Sig- 
nification ;  Befides  the  continued  Ufe  of  the  Word  in  the 
former  Part  of  this  Chapter,  and  in  all  the  preceeding  Part 
of  this  Epidle,  and  the  continued  Ufe  of  it  in  the  next 
Chapter,  and  in  the  next  to  that,  and  the  8th  Chapter  fol- 
lowing that,  and  to  <he  End  of  the  Epidle  ;  in  none  of 
which  Places  is  it  pretended,  but  that  the  Word  is  ufed  in 
the  proper  Senfe,  by  our  Author  in  his  Paraphrafe  and 
Notes  on  the  whole  Epidle.*  But 

*  Agreable  to  tins  Manner,  our  Author  in  explaining  the  7th 
Chi,p.of  .R077K7»J,underftands  thePronoun,/,or  ^,ufed  by  the 
Apoftle  in  that  one  continued  Difcourfe,  in  no  iefs  than  Six 
different  Senfes.  He  takes  it  in  the  ift  ver.  to  fignify  the 
Apoftle  Paul  himfelf.  In  the  8,  9,  10,  U  1  tth  Verfes,  for 
the  People  of  the  Jews,  thro'  all  Ages,  both  before  h  after 
Mofes,  efpecially  the  carnal  ungodly  Part  of  'em.  In  the 
13th  ver.  for  an  objecting  Jew,  entring  into  a  Dialogue  with 
the  Apoftle.  In  the  15,  16,  17,  20th,  and  laUer  Part  of  the 
25th  ver.  it  is  underftood  in  two  different  Senfes,  for  two  /'s 
in  the  fame  Perfon  ;  one,  a  Manjs  Reafon  ;  and  the  other, 
his  Pallions  &  carnal  Appetites.  And  in  the  7th  &  former 
Part  of  the  luff  Vvte,  for  Us  Chriftians  in  general  ;  or,  for 
all  that  enjoy  the  Word  of  God,  :he  Law  and  the  Gofpel. 
And  thefe  different  Senfes,  the  moft  of  'em,  Orangely  inter- 
mixed and  interchanged,  backwards  and  forwards, 


Chap.iv]  Explanation  of  Kom.v.  \  2,&c.  269 

Sect. I.  3 

But  indeed  we  need  go  no  further  than  that  one  f.  12. 
What  the  Apoftle  means  by  Sin,  in  the  latter  Part  of  the 
Verfe,  is  evident  with  the  utmoft  Plainnefs,  by  comparing 
it  with  the  former  Part  ;  one  Part  anfwering  to  another, 
and  the  lad  Claufe  exegetical  of  the  former.  Wherefore, 
as  by  one  Man  Sin  entered  into  the  World, and "Death  by 
Sin  ;  andfo  Death  pafed  upon  all  Men,  for  that  (or, 
unto  which)  all  have  finned.  Here  Sin  and  Death  are 
fpoken  of  in  the  former  Part,  &  Sin  &  Death  are  fpoken 
of  in  the  latter  Part  ;  the  two  Parts  of  the  Sentence  fio 
anfwering  one  another,that  the  famcThings  are  apparently 
meant  by  Sin  and  Death  in  both  Parts. 

And  bcfides  to  interpret  finning,  here,  of  falling  under 
the  Suffering  of  Death,  is  yet  the  more  violent  &  unrea- 
lizable, becaufe  the  Apoflle  in  this  very  Place  does  once 
and  again  diftinguifh  between  Sin  and  Death  ;  plainly 
fpeaking  of  one  as  the  Effect,  and  the  other  the  Caufe,  So 
in  the  2°ift  y.  That  as  Sin  hath  reigned  unto  Death  ; 
and  in  the  1 2  th  f.  Sin  entered  into  the  World,  and  Death 
BT  Sin.  And  this  plain  Diftinftion  holds  thro  all  the 
Difcourfe,  as  between  Death and  the  O fence,  f.  15.  and 
f.  1  7.  and  between  the  O fence  and  Condemnation, f.  1  8. 

4.  Tho  we  mould  omit  the  Confideration  of  theManner 
in  which  the  Apoflle  ufes  the  Words,  Sin,  finned,  &c.  in 
other  Places,  and  in  other  Parts  of  this  Difcourfe,  yet  Dr. 
T—r\  Interpretation  of  'em  would  be  very  abfurd. 

The  Cafe  (lands  thus  :— According  to  his  Expofkion, 
we  are  fa  id  to  have  finned,  by  an  aBhe  Verb,  as  tho'  we  had 
actively  finned  ;  yet  this  is  not  fpoken  truly  and  properly, 
but  it  is  put  figuratively  for  our  becoming  Sinners pafively, 
our  being  made  or  conflicted  Sinners.  Yet  again,  not  that 
we  do  truly  become  Sinners  paffively,  or  are  really  made 
Sinners,  by  any  thing  that  God  docs  ;  this  alfo  is  only  a 
figurative  or  tropical  Reprefentation  :  And  the  Meaning  is 
only,  we  are  condemned,  and  treated  AS  IF  we  were 
Sinners.  Not  indeed  that  we  are  properly  condemned  ; 
for  God  never  truly  condemns  the  Innocent :  But  this  alfo 
is  only  a  figurative  Reprefentation  of  the  Thing.  It  is 
7        to  but 


270  On  Dr.  T~r's  Senfe of  Kom.  v.  Part  II. 

but  as  it  were  condemning  ;  becaufe  it  is  appointing  to 
*Death,  a  terrible  Evil,  as  if  it  were  a  Punifhment.  But 
then,  in  Reality,  here  is  no  Appointment  to  a  terrible  Evilx 
or  any  Evil  at  all ;  but  truly  to  a  Benefit^  a  great  Benefit  ; 
And  fo,  in  reprefenting  Death  as  a  Punifhment  or  Calamity 
condemned  to,  another  Figure  or  Trope  is  made  ufe  of, 
and  an  exceeding  bold  one  ;  for,  as  we  are  appointed  to 
it,  it  is  fo  far  from  being  an  Evil  or  Punifhment,  that  it  is 
really  a  Favour,  and  that  of  the  higheft  Nature,  appointed 
by  meer  Grace  &:  Love  j  tho'  it  feems  to  be  a  Calamity. — 
Thus  we  have  Tropes  and  Figures  multiplied,  one  upon 
the  back  of  another  ;  and  all  in  that  one  Word,  finned  \ 
according  to  the  Manner,  as  it  is  fuppofed,  the  Apoftle  ufes 
it.  We  have  a  figurative  Reprefentation,  not  of  a  Rea  ity, 
out  of  a  figurative  Reprefentation.  Neither  is  this  a  Re- 
prefentation of  a  Reality,  but  of  another  Thing  that  ftill 
is  but  a  figurative  Reprefentation  of  fomething  elfe  :  Tea, 
even  this  fomething  elfe  is  ft  ill  but  a  Figure,  and  one  that 
is  very  harfn  and  far-fetch'd.  So  that  here  we  have  a 
Figure  to  reprefent  a  Figure,  even  a  Figure  of  a  Figure 
reprefenting  fome  very  \-emoie Figure,  which  moil  obfeure- 
ly  reprefents  the  Thing  intended  ;  if  the  moll:  terrible 
Evil  can  indeed  be  faid  at  all  to  reprefent  the  contrary 
Good,  of  the  higheft  Kind. —  And  now,  what  cannot  be 
made  of  any  Place  of  Scripture,  in  fuch  a  Way  of  ma- 
naging it,  as  this  ?  And  is  there  any  Hope  of  ever  deciding 
any  Controverfy  by  the  Scripture,  in  the  Way  of  ufing 
fuch  a  Licence  with  the  Scripture,  in  order  to~force  it  to 
a  Compliance  with  our  own  Schemes  ?  If  the  Apoftle  in- 
deed ufes  Language  after  fo  ftrange  a  Manner  in  this  Place, 
'tis  perhaps  fuch  an  Inftance,  as  not  only  there  is  not  the 
like  of  it  in  all  the  Bible  befkles,  but  perhaps  in  no  Writing 
whatfoever. — And  this,  not  in  any  parabolical,  vifionary, 
or  prophetic  Defcription,  in  which  difficult  and  obfeure 
Reprefentations  are  wont  to  be  made  Ufe  of  j  nor  in  a 
dramatic  or  poetical  Reprefentation,  in  which  a  great  Li- 
cence is  often  taken,  and  bold  Figures  are  commonly  to 
be  expected  ;    But  'tis  in  a. familiar  Letter,  wherein  the 

Apoflla 


If- 1     The  true  Scope  of  Rom.  v.     271 


Chap.IV. 
Sect. 

Apoftle  is  delivering  Gofpel-InftrucYion,as  a  Minifter  of  the 
New-Teitament  ;  and  wherein,  as  he  profefTes,  he  delivers 
divine  Truth  without  the  Vail  of  antient  Figures  and  Si- 
militudes, and  ufes  great-  Plainnefs  of  Speech.  And  in  a 
Difcourfe  that  is  wholly  didactic,  narrative  and  argumenta- 
tive ;  evidently  fetting  himfelf  to  explain  the  Doctrine  he 
is  upon,  in  the  Reafon  and  Nature  of  it,  with  a  great  Va- 
riety of  Exprefiions,  turning  it  as  it  were  on  every  Side,  to 
make  his  Meaning  plain,  and  to  fix  in  his  Readers^  the 
exact  Notion  of  what  he  intends. — Dr.  Tl  himfelf  ob- 
ferves,  *  "  This  Apoftle  takes  great  Care  to  guard  and 
"  explain  every  Part  of  his  Subject  :  and  I  may  venture 
"  to  fay,  he  has  left  no  Part  of  it  unexplained,  orun- 
"  guarded.  Never  was  an  Author  more  exact  &  cautious 
"  in  this,  than  he.  Sometimes  he  writes  Notes,on  a  Sen- 
"  tence  liable  to  Exception, and  wanting  Explanation." — 
Now  I  think,  this  Care  and  Exactnefs  of  the  Apoftle  no 
where  appears  more  than  in  the  Place  we  are  upon.  Nay, 
I  fcarcely  know  another  Inftance  equal  to  this,  of  the 
Apoftle's  Care  to  be  well  underftood,  by  being  very  par- 
ticular, explicit  and  precife,  fetting  the  Matter  forth  in 
every  Light,  going  over  and  over  again  with  his  Doctrine, 
clearly  to  exhibit,  and  fully  to  fettle  and  determine  the 
Thing  which  he  aims  at. 

Sect.     II. 

Some  Objervations  on  the  Connection,  Scope  and 
Senie  of  this  remarkable  Paragraph  /»Rom.v. — 
With  fome  RefleBions  on  the  Evidence,  -which  ive 
here  have  of  the  Doctrine  ^Original  Sin. 

THE  Connection  of  this  remarkable  Paragraph  with 
the  foregoing  Difcourfe  in  this  Epiftle,  is  not  ob- 
fcure  and  difficult  ;  nor  to  be  fought  for  at  a  Diftance. 
It  may  be  plainly  feen,  only  by  a  general  Glance  on 
Things  which  went  before,    from  the  Beginning  of  the 

Epiftle  : 

*  JPref,  to  Paraph,  on  Rom, 


272    "The  true  Co?ineBion>  Scope ,    Part  IL 

Epiftle  :  And  indeed  what  is  faid  immediately  before  in 
the  fame  Chapter,  leads  directly  to  it.  The  Apoftle  in 
the  precceding  Part  of  this  Epiiile  had  largely  treated  of 
the  Sinjuinefs  and  Mifery  of  all  Mankind,  Jeius,  as  well 
as  Gentiles.  He  had  particularly  fpoken  of  the  Depra- 
vity and  Ruin  of  Mankind  in  their  natural  State,  in  the 
'foregoing  Part  of  this  Chapter  ;  reprefenting  them  as  be- 
ing Sinners,  U?igodly,  Enemies,  expofed  to  divine  If 'rath, 
and  without  Strength. — No  Wonder  now,  this  leads  him 
to  obferve,  how  this  fo  great  &  deplorable  an  Event  came 
to  pais  ;  hozv  this  univerlal  Sin  and  Ruin  came  into  the 
World.  And  with  Regard  to  the  Jews  in  particular,who, 
tli  they  might  allow  the  Doctrine  of  original  Sin  in  their 
own  ProfelTion,  yet  were  ftrongly  prejudiced  againft  what 
was  implied  in  it,  or  evidently  following  from  it,  with  re- 
gard to  themfelves  ;  in  this  refpect  they  were  prejudiced 
againft  the  Doctrine  of  univerial  Sinfulnefs,  and  Expofed- 
nefs  to  Wrath  by  Nature,  looking  on  themfelves  as  by 
Nature  holy  and  Favourites  of  God,  becaufe  they  were 
the  Children  of  Abraham  ;  and  with  them  the  Apollie 
had  laboured  mod:  in  the  foregoing  Part  of  the  Epiftle,  to 
convince  them  of  their  being  by  Nature  as  fmful,  and  as 
much  the  Children  of  Wrath,  as  the  Gentiles  : — I  fay, 
with  Regard  to  them,  it  was  exceeding  proper,  and  what 
the  ApoRle'sDefign  mod  naturally  led  him  to^  to  take  off 
their  Eyes  from  their  Father  Abraham,  who  was  their 
Father  in  Diiiinclion  from  other  Nations  and  direct  them 
to  their  Father  Adam,  who  was  the  common  Father  of 
Mankind,  and  equally  of  .Jews  and  Gentiles.  And  when 
lie  was  cnter'd  on  this  Doctrine  of  the  Derivation  of  Sin 
and  Ruin,  or  Death,  to  all  Mankind  from  Adam,  no 
Wonder  if  he  thought  it  needful  to  be  fornewhat  particu- 
lar in  it,  feeing  he  wrote  to  Jews  and  Gentiles  ;  the  for- 
mer of  which  had  been  brought  up  under  the  Prejudices 
cf  a  proud  Opinion  of  themfelves,  as  a  holy  People  by 
Nature,  and  the  latter  had  been  educated  in  total  Igno- 
r.z.oi  all  Things  of  this  Kind. 

Again, 


Sect  ir4  and  SenfeofSkom.  v.  12,  &c.  27^3 

Again,  the  Apoflle  had  from  the  Beginning  of  the  E- 
piflle  been  endeavouring  to  evince  the  abfolute  Depen- 
dence of  all  Mankind  on  the  free  Grace  of  GOT)  for 
Salvation,  and  the  Greatnefs  of  this  Grace  ;  and  particu- 
larly in  the  former  Part  of  this  Chapter.  The  Greatnefs 
of  this  Grace  he  illews  especially  by  twoThings.  (1)  The 
univerfal  Corruption  and  Mifery  of  Mankind;  as  in  all 
the  foregoing  Chapters,  and  in  the  6,7,8,o,&io  Yerfes  of 
this  Chapter. — (2.)  The  Greatnefs  of  the  Benefits  which 
Believers  receive,  and  the  Greatnefs  of  the  Glory  they 
have  Hope  of.  So  efpecially  in  ver.  1,2,3,4,5,8c  1  ith  of 
this  Chapter.  And  here,  in  this  Place  we  are  upon,  from 
ver.  12,  to  the  End,  he  is  full  on  the  fame  Defign  of  mag-  ( 
liifyjng  the  Grace  of  God,  in  the  fame  Thing,  viz.  the  Fa- 
vour, Life  and  Happinefs  which  Believers  in  Chrift  re- 
ceive ;  fpeaking  here  of  the  Grace  of  God,  the  Gift  by 
Grace,  the  Mounding  of  Grace,  and  the  Reign  of  Grace. 
And  he  (till  fets  forth  the  Freedom  and  Riches  of  Grace 
by  the  fame  two  Arguments,  viz.  The  univerfal  Sinfulnefs 
andRuin  of  Mankind,all  having  finned, all  naturally  expofed 
to  Death,  Judgment  .&  Condemnation  ;  and  the  exceeding 
Greatnefs  of  the  Benefit  received, — being  far  greater  than 
theMifery  which  comes  by  thefirft^/«7»,&  aboi  ]  y  be- 
yond it.  And  'tis  by  no'Means  copfiftent  with  theApoftle^s 
Scope,  to  fifppofe,  that  the  Benefits  which  we  have  by 
Chrill  as  the  Antitype  of  ^4dam,  here  mainly  infifted  on, 
is  without  any  Grace  at  all,  being  only  a  Reiioration  to 
Life,  of  fuch  as  never  deferved  Death. 

Another  Thing  obfervable  in  the  Apoflle's  Scope  from 
the  Beginning  of  the  Epiftle,  is,  he  endeavours  to  (h 
the  Greatnefs  and  Abfolutenefs  of  the  Dependence  of 
Mankind  on  the  Redemption  &  Right eoufnefs  of  Cn  a  1  s  t, 
for  Juftification  and  Life,  that  he  might  magnify  &  exalt 
the  Redeemer  :  which  Design  his  whole  Heart  was  (wal- 
lowed up  in,  and  may  be  looked  upon  as  tnt  main  Dedgn 
of  the  whole  Epiftle.  And  this  is  what  he  had  been  upon 
in  the  preceeding  Part  of  this  Chapter  ;  inferring  it  from 
the  fume  Argument,  the  utter  Sinfulnefs  and  Ruin    of 

D  d  all 


274    ¥%e  true  Conne&ion,  Scope y      Part  IT. 

all  Men.  And  be  is  evidently  (till  on  the  fame  Thing  in 
this  Place,  from  the  1 2th  jr.  to  the  End  ;  fpeaking  of  die 
fame  Juftification  and  Righteoufnefs,  which  he  had  dwelt 
on  before  j  and  not  another  totally  diver fe.  No  Wonder, 
when  the  Apoftle  is  Creating  fo  fully  and  largely  of  our 
Reftoration,  Righteoufnefs  and  Life  by  Chrilt,  that  he  is 
led  by  it  to  confider  our  Fall,  Sin,  Death  and  Ruin  by 
Adam  ;  and  to  obferve  wherein  thefe  two  oppofite  Heads 
of  Mankind  agree,  and  wherein  they  differ,  in  the  Manner 
of  Conveyance  of  oppofite  Influences  andCommunications 
from  Each. 

Thus,  if  this  Place  be  underftood,  as  it  ufcd  to  beun- 
dcrftood  by  orthodox  Divines,  the  whole  (lands  in  a  natu- 
ral, eafy  and  clear  Connection  with  the  preceeding  Part  of 
the  Chapter,  and  all  the  former  Part  of  the  Epiftle  ;  and 
in  a  plain  Agreement  with  the  exprefs  Defign  of  all  that 
the  Apoftle  had  been  faying  ;  andalfoin  Connection  with 
the -Words  laft  before  fpoken,  as  introduced  by  the  two 
immediately  preceeding  Yerfes,  where  he  is  fpeaking  of 
©u r  Juftification,  Reconciliation  and  Salvation  by  Chrift ; 
which  leads  the  Apoflle  directly  to  obferve,  how,  on  the 
contrary,  we  have  Sin  and  Death  by  Adam.  Taking 
this  Difcoiirfe  of  the  Apoflle  in  it's  true  and  plain  Senfe, 
there  is  no  Need  of  great  Extent  of  Learning,  or  Depth 
of  Criticifm,  to  find  out  the  Connection  :  But  if  it  be  un- 
derftood  in  Dr.  T'—r's  Senfe,  the  plain  Scope  and  Con- 
nection are  wholly  loft,  and  there  was  truly  Need  of  a 
Skill  in  Criticifm,  and  Art  of  Difcerning,  beyond,  or  at 
leaft  different  from  that  of  former  Divines,  and  a  Faculty 
of  feeing  fomething  afar  of,  which  otherMen's  Sight  could 
not  reach,  in  order  to  find  out  the  Connection. 

What  has  been  already  obferved,  may  fuffice  to  fhew 
the  Apoftle's  general  Scope  in  this  Place.  But  yet  there 
feem  to  be  fome  other  Things,  which  he  has  his  Eye  to,  in 
feveral  Expreffions  ;  fome  particular  things  in  the  then- 
prefent  State,  Temper  and  Notions  of  the  JewsjwYnch  he 
alfo  had  before  fpoken  of,  or  had  Reference  to,  in  certain 
Places  of  the  foregoing  Part  of  the  Epiftle.  As  particu- 
larly, 


^eci;Iii'^  an(l Senfe  0/"Rom.  v.  12,  &c.  275 

larly,    the  Jews  bad  a  very  fuperflitious  and  extravagant 
Notion  of  their  Law,  deliver'd  by  Mofes  ;    as  if  it   wera 
the  prime,  grand,  and    indeed  only  Rule  of  God's  Pro- 
ceeding with  Mankind, as  their  Judge,both  in  Men's  Jufti- 
fication  &  Condemnation,  or  from  whence  all,  bothSin  and 
Righteoufnefs,  was  imputed  ;  and  had  no  Confideration  of 
rheLaw  of  Nature,written  in  theHearts  of  theG  entiles, and 
of  all  Mankind.    Herein  they  afcribed  infinitely  too  much 
to  their  particular  Law,    beyond    the   true   Defign  of   it. 
They  made  their  Boafl  of  the  Law  ;  as   if  their    being 
diftinguifhed   from  all  other  Nations  by  that  great  Privi- 
lege, the  giving  of  the  Law,  fufficiently  made  'em  a  holy 
People,  and  God's  Children.     This  Notion  of  theirs   the 
Apoftle  evidently  refers   to,    Chap.  ii.  13,  17, — 19.  and 
indeed  thro'  that  whole  Chapter.     They   looked   on  the 
Law  of  Mofes  as  intended  to  be  the  onlyRule  &  Meansof 
Juflification  ;  and  as  fuch,  trufted  in  theWorks  of  theLaw, 
efpecially  Circumcifion  :    which  appears  by  the  iiid  Chap* 
ter.     But  as  for  the  Gentiles,  they  look'd  on  them  as  by 
Nature  Sinners,  and  Children  of  Wrath  ;  becaufe  born  of 
uncircumcifed  Parents,   and    Aliens  from  their  Law,  and 
who  themfelves  did  not  know,    profefs  and  fubmit  to  the 
Law  of  Mtfes,  become  Profelytes,  and  receive  Circumci- 
fion.    What  they  efteemed  the  Sum  of  their  Wickednefs 
and  Condemnation  was,  that  they  did  not  turn  yews,  and 
act  as  Jews.  *    This  Notion    of  their's  the  Apoflle  has 
a  plain  Refpect  to,    and  endeavours  to  convince  them  of 
the  Falfcnefs  of,  in  Chap.  ii.  12, — 16.     And    he    has   a 
manifeft  Regard  again  to  the  fame  Thing  here,  in  the  12, 
13,  &  14th  Verfes  of  Chap.  \tb.  Which  may  lead  us  the 
more  clearly  to  fee  the  true  Senfe  of  thofe  Verfes ;  about 
the  Senfe  of  which  is  the  main  Controverfy,  &  the  Mean- 
ing of  which  being  determined,   it  wiii  fettle  the  Meaning 
of  every  other  controverted  ExpreiTion  through  the  whole 
Difcourfe.  D  d  2  Dr. 

*  Here  are  worthy  to  be  obierved  the  Things  which  Dr.  T. 
himfelf  fays  to  the  fame  Purpofe,  Key  §.  270,  271.  &  Pre- 
face to  Par,  on  Eji/i.  to  P^om.  §.  43. 


270     The  true  ConneSlion^  Scope ,    Part  II. 

Dr.  T.  mifreprefents  the  ApoRk's  Argument  in  thefe 
Verfes.  (Which,  as  has  been  dcm  mft  rated, is  in  hisSenfe  al- 
together vain  and  impertinent.)  He  fuppofes,  the  Thing 
which  the  Apotlle  mainly  int<  rids  to  prove,  is,  thatTJeatb 
or  Mortality  don't  come  on  Mankind  by  perfonal  Sin  ;  and 
that  he  would  prove  it  by  this  Medium,  that  Death 
reigned  when  there  was  no  Law  in  Being, which  threatned 
perfonal  Sin  with  Death.  'Tis  acknowledged,  that  this 
is  implied,  even  that  Death  came  into  theWorld  by  Adam's 
Sin  :  yet  this  is  not  the  main  thing  the  Apoftle  defigns  to 
prove.  But  his  main  Point  evidently  is,  that  Sin  8z  Guilt 
and  juji  Expofednefs  to  'Death  and  Ruin  came  into  the 
World  by  .Adam's  Sin  ;  as  Righteoufnefs ,  Juftiji cation, 
and  a  Title  to  eternal  Life  come  by  Chrilt.  Which  Point 
he  confirms  by  this  Consideration,  That  from  the  very 
Time  whetiAdam  (in'd,  thefe  Things,  namely,  Sin, Guilt 
and  Defert  of  Ruin,  became  universal  in  the  World,  long 
before  the  Law  given  by  Mofes  to  the  Jezvijb  Nation  had 
any  Being. 

The  Apoftle's  Remark,  that  Sin  entred  into  theWorld 
by  one  Alan,  who  was  the  Father  of  the  whole  human 
Race,  was  an  Obfervation  which  afforded  proper  Inftrudti- 
on  for  the  *Jews,  who  look'd  on  themfelves  an  holy  Peo- 
ple, becaufe  they  had  the  Law  of  Mofes,  and  were  the 
Children  of  Abraham,  an  holy  Father  ;  while  they  look- 
ed on  other  Nations  as  by  Nature  unholy  and  Sinners,be- 
caufe  they  were  not  Abraham's  Children.  Lie  leads  'em 
up  to  an  higher  Ancellor  than  this  Patriarch,  even  to 
Adam,  who  being  equally  the  Father  of  Yews  and  Gen* 
tiles,  both  alike  come  from  a  (Infill  Father  ;  from  whom 
Guilt  and  Pollution  were  derived  alike  to  all  Mankind. 
And  this  the  Apoftle  proves  by  an  Argument,  which  of  all 
that  could  poMibly  be  invented,  tended  the  mod  briefly 
and  directly  to  convince  the  Jews  :  even  by  thisReflection, 
that  Death  had  come  equally  on  alhMankind  from  Adam's 
Time,  and  that  the  Pofterity  of  Abraham  were  equally 
fubject  to  it  with  the  reft  of  the  World.  This  was  appa- 
rent in  Fad  ;  a  Thing  ^hey  all  knew.     And  the  Jews  had 

always 


Chap.  IV  *>    ^^  ^^/J  of  Rom.  V.   f  23&C.  277, 

always  been  taught,  that  Death  (which  began  in  the  De- 
finition of  the  Body,  and  of  this  prefent  Life)  was  the 
proper  Punifliment  of  Sin.  This  they  were  taught  in 
Mofes\  Hiitory  of  Adam,  and  God's  firit  Threatning 
of  Punifliment  for  Sin,  and  by  the  conflant  Doctrine  of 
the  Law  and  the  Prophets  ;  as  has  been  already  obferved. 

And  the  Apoftle's  Obfervation,  that  Sin  was  in  the 
World  long  before  the  Law  was  given,  and  was  as  uni- 
verfal in  the  World  from  the  Times  of  Adam,  as  it  had 
been  among  the  Heathen  fince  the  Law  of  Mofes,  this 
fhew'd  plainly,  that  the  Jews  were  quite  miflaken  in 
their  Notion  of  their  particular  Law  ;  and  that  the  Law 
which  is  the  original  and  univerfal  Rule  of  Righteoufhefs 
and  Judgment  for  all  Mankind,  was  another  Law,  of  far 
more  antient  Date,  even  the  Law  of  Nature;  which  began 
as  early  as  the  human  Nature  began,  and  was  eftabliflied 
with  the  firflFather  of  Mankind,  and  in  him  with  the  whole 
Race  :  the  pofitive  Precept  of  abftaining  from  the  for- 
bidden Fruit,  being  given  for  the  Trial  of  his  Compliance 
with  this  Law  of  Nature  ;  of  which  the  main  Rule  is  fu- 
pream  Regard  to  God  and  his  Will.  And  the  Apoflle 
proves  that  it  muft  be  thus,  becaufe,  if  the  Law  of  Mofes 
had  been  the  higher!  Rule  of  Judgment,  and  if  there  had 
not  been  a  fuperior,  prior,  divine  Rule  eftabliflied,  Man- 
kind in  general  would  not  have  been  judged  &  condemned 
as  Sinners,  before  that  was  given  (for  '•*  Sin  is  not  imputed, 
when  there  is  no  Law")  as  it  is  apparent  in  Fact  they  were, 
becaufe  Death  reigned  before  that  Time,  even  from  the 
Times  of  Adam. 

It  may  be  obferved,  the  Apoflle  in  this  EpiflJe,  &  that 
to  the  Ga/atiam,  endeavours  to  convince  the  Jews  of 
thefe  two  Things,  in  Opposition  to  the  Notions  and  Pre- 
judices they  had  entertained  concerning  their  Law.  (1.) 
That  it  never  was  intended  to  be  the  Covenant,  orMethod 
by  which  they  fliould  actually  be  jufiified.  (2.)  That  it 
was  not  the  higheft  and  univerfal  Rule  or  Law,  by  which 
Mankind  in  general,  and  particularly  the  heathen  World, 
were  condemned.  And  he  proves  both  by  fimilar  Argu- 
ments.— 


278     The  true  ConneSlion^  Scopey    Part  II. 

ments. — He  proves,  that  the  Law  of  Mofes  was  not  the 
Covenant,  by  which  any  of  Mankind  were  to  obtain  Jufti- 
f cation,  becaufe  that  Covenant  was  of  older  Date,  being 
exprefly  eftablilhed  in  the  Time  of  .Abraham,  and  Abra- 
ham himfelf  wzsjuflified  by  it.  This  Argument  the  A- 
pottlc  particularly  handles  in  the  iiid  Chap,  of  Galatians, 
efpecially  in  f.  17,  18,  19.  And  this  Argument  is  alfo 
made  Ufe  of  in  the  Apoftle'sReafonings  in  the  ivth  Chap, 
of  this  Epitlle  to  theRoma?is,  efpecially  f.  13,  14,  15. — 
He  proves  alfo,  that  the  Law  a? Mofes  was  not  the  prime 
Rule  of  Judgment,  by  which  Mankind  in  general,  &  par- 
ticularly the  heathen  World,  were  condemned.  And  this 
he  proves  alfo  the  fame  Way,  viz.  by  fhewing  this  to  be 
of  older  T>ate  than  that  Law,  and  that  it  was  eftablifhed 
with  Adam. — Now,  thefe  things  tended  to  lead  the  Jews 
to  right  Notions  of  their  Law,  not  as  the  intended  Method 
°f '  J  unification,  nor  as  the  original  and  univerfal  Rule  of 
Condemnation,  but  fomething  fuperadded  to  both  :  both 
being  of  olderDatc.  Superadded  to  the  latter,  to  illuftratc 
and  confirm  it,  that  the  Offence  might  abound  ;  and  fuper- 
added to  the  former,  to  be  as  a  School-Majler,  to  prepare 
Men  for  the  Benefits  of  it,  and  to  magnify  divine  Grace 
in  it,  that  this  might  much  more  abound. 

The  chief  Occafion  of  the  Obfcurity  and  Difficulty, 
which  feems  to  attend  the  Scope  and  Connexion  of  the 
various  Claufes  in  the  three  firft  Verfes  of  this  Difcourfe, 
particularly  the  13th  &  l/t-thVerfes,  is,  that  there  are  tzu§ 
Things  (altho  Things  clofely  connected)  which  the  Apo- 
{[ le  has  in  his  Eye  at  once,  in  which  he  aims  to  enlighten 
them  he  writes  to  ;  which  will  not  be  thought  at  all 
ftrange,  by  them  that  have  been  converfant  with,  and  have 
attended  to  this  A  pottle' s  Writings.  He  would  illuftrate 
the  grand  Point  he  had  been  upon  from  theBeginning,  even 
J  unification  thro''  Chriff  s  Right eoufnefs  alone,  by  fhew- 
ing how  we  are  originally  in  a  finful  miferable  State,  and 
how  we  derive  this  Sin  and  Mifery  from  Adam,  and  how 
we  arc  delivered  &  juftified  by  Chrifl  as  a  fecond  Adam. — 
At  the  fame  Time,  he  would  confute  thofe  foolilh  and 

corrupt 


•hap.iv.7  and  Senfe  of  Rom.  v.  12,  Sec.  279 

corrupt  Notions  of  the  Jews, r  about  their  Nation  and  their 
Law,  that  were  very  inconfiflent  with  thefe  Doctrines. — 
And  he  here  endeavours  to  eflablifh,  at  once,  thefe  two 
Things  in  Oppofuion  to  thofe  Jezviflj  Notions  : 

(1.)  That  'tis  our  natural  Relation  to  Adam,  and  not 
to  Abraham,  which  determines  our  native  moral  State  ; 
and  that  therefore  the  being  naturalChildren  of  Abraham, 
will  not  make  ns  by  Nature  holy  in  the  Sight  of  God, 
fince  we  are  the  natural  Seed  of  fmful  Adam  :  Nor  does 
the  Gentiles  being  not  defcended  from  Abraham,  deno- 
minate them  Sinners,  any  more  than  the  Jews,  feeing 
both   alike  are  defcended  from  Adam, 

(2.)  That  the  Law  of  Mofes  is  not  the  prime  and  gene- 
ral Law  and  Rule  of  Judgment  for  Mankind,  to  condemn 
them,  and  denominate  them  Sinners  ;  but  that  the  State 
they  are  in  with  regard  to  a  higher,  more  antient  and  uni- 
verfal  Law,  determines  Mankind  in  general  to  be  Sinners 
in  the  Sight  of  God,  and  liable  to  be  condemned  as  fuch. 
Which  Obfervation  is,  in  many  Refpe61s,  to  the  Apoftle's 
Purpofe  ;  particularly  in  this  Refpect,  that  if  the  Jezvs 
were  convinced,  that  the  Law  which  was  the  prime  Rule 
of ' Condemnation,™^  given  to  all, was  common  to  all  Man- 
kind, and  that  all  fell  Under  Condemnation  thro  the  Vio- 
lation of  that  Law  by  the  common  Father  of  all,  both 
Jews  &  Gentiles,thcn  they  would  be  led  moreeafily  and 
naturally,  to  believe,  that  the  Method  of  Juflification, 
which  God  had  eftablifhed,  alfo  extended  equally  to  all 
Mankind  :  And  that  the  Meffiah,  by  whom  we  have  this 
Juflification,  is  appointed,  as  Adam  was,  for  a  common 
Head  to  all,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles. 

The  Apoflle's  aiming  to  confute  the  Jewijh  Notion,  is 
the  principal  Occafion  of  thofe  Words  in  the  13  th  f.  For 
until  the  Law,  Sin  was  in  the  World  j  but  Sin  is  not 
imputed,  when  there  is  no  Law. 

As  to  the  Import  of  that  ExprefTion,  Even  over  them 
that  had  not  finned  after  theSimilitude  of  Adam'sTWj/?/^ 
greffon,  not  only  is  the  Thing  (ignified  by  it,  in  Dr.T — r\ 
Senfe  of  it,  not  true  \  or  if  it  had  been  true,  would  have 

been 


280     The  true  Conne&ion,  Scope ,    Part  II. 

been  impertinent,  as  has  been  fhcwn  :  But  his  Interpre- 
tation is,  otherwife,  very  much  ft  rah? sd  &  unnatural.  Ac- 
cording to  him,  by  "  finning  after  the  Similitude  oT  Adattfs 
Tranfgreflion,"  is  not  meant  any  Similitude  of  the  Act  of 
finning,  nor  of  the  Command  finned  again!!,  nor  properly 
any  Circumflance  of  the  Sin  j  but  only  the  Similitude  of  a 
Circumflance  of  the  Command,  viz.  the  Threatning  it  is 
attended  with.  A  far-fetch'd  Thing,  to  be  called  a  Si- 
militude of  finning  !  Befides,  this  Expreliion,  in  fuch  a 
Meaning,  is  only  a  needlefs,  impertinent,  and  aukward 
Repeating  over  again  the  fameThing,  which, it  is  fuppofed, 
theApoftle  had  obferved  in  the  foregoing  Verfe,  even  after 
he  had  left  it,  &  had  proceeded  another  Step  in  the  Series 
of  his  Difcourfe,  or  Chain  of  Arguing.  As  thus,  in  the 
foregoing  Yerfe,  the  Apoflle  had  plainly  laid  down  his 
"Argument  (as  our  Author  underflands  it)  by  which  he 
would  prove,tDeath  did  not  come  by  p  erf onaISm,  viz.  that 
Death  reigned  before  any  Laze,  threatning  Death  for  per- 
fonal  Sin,  was  in  Being  ;  fo  that  the  Sin  then  committed 
was  againfl  no  Law,  threatning  Death  for  perfonal  Sin. 
Having  laid  this  down,  the  Apoflle  leaves  this  Part  of  his 
Argument,  &  proceeds  another  Step,  Neverthelefs  T>eath 
reigned  from  Adam  to  Mofes  :  And  then  returns,  in  a 
ftrange,  unnatural  Manner,  and  repeats  that  Argument  or 
A  heition  again,  but  only  more  obfeurely  than  before,  in 
thefe  Words,  Even  over  them  that  had  not  finned  after 
the  Similitude  of  Adam's  Tranfgreftion,  i.  e.  over  them 
that  had  not  finned  againfl  a  Law  threatning  Death  for 
perfonal  Sin.  Which  is  jufl  the  fame  Thing,  as  if  the 
Apoflle  had  faid,  "  They  that  finM  before  the  Law,  did 
41  not  fin  againfl  a  Law  threatning  Death  for  perfonal  Sin  ; 
"  for  there  was  no  fuch  Law,  for  any  to  fin  againfl,  at  that 
"  Time  :  Neverthelefs  Death  reigned  at  that  Time,  even 
"  over  fuch  as  did  not  fin  againfl  a  Law  threatning  Death 
c;  for  perfonal  Sin." — Which  latter  Claufe  adds  Nothing 
to  the  Premifes,  and  tends  Nothing  to  illuflrate  what  was 
faid  before,  but  rather  to  obfeure  and  darken  it.  The 
Particle  (**()  even,  when  prefix'd  in  this  Manner,  iifed  to 

fignify 


ChapIV.  1  and  Sen fe  of  Rom.  V.  12,  &c.  28  £ 

Sect.  II.    J  y':. 

fignify  fomcthing  additional, fome  Advance  in  the  Senfe  or 
Argument ;  implying,  that  the  Words  following  exprefs 
fomcthing  more,  or  exprefs  the  fame  thing  more  fully, 
plainly,  or  forcibly.  But  to  unite  two  Claufes  by  fuch  a 
Particle,  in  fuch  a  Manner,  when  there  is  Nothing  befldes 
a  flat  Repetition,  with  no  fuperadded  Senfe  or  Force,  but 
rather  a  greaterUncertainty  andObfcurity,  would  be  very 
'mufual,  and  indeed  very  abfurd. 

I  can  fee  no  Reafon,  why  we  iliould  be  diflatisfied  with 
that  Explanation  of  this  Claufe,  which  has  more  commonly 
been  given,  vizi  That  by  them  who  have  not  finned  after 
t heSimilliudt >  of  Adam' )s<TranfgreJfwn ,  are  meant  Infants  ; 
who,  tho'  they  have  indeed  finned  in  Ada?n,  yet  never 
finned  as  Adam  did,  by  actually  tranfgrefling  in  their  own 
Perfons  ;  unlefs  it  bes  that  this  Interpretation  is  too  old; 
and  too  common,  It  was  well  known  by  thofe  theApoflle 
wrote  to,  that  vail:  Numbers  had  died  in  Infancy,  with- 
in that  Period  which  the  Apoftle  fpeaks  of,  particularly  in 
the  Time  of  the  Deluge  :  And  it  would  be  ftrange,  the 
Apoflle  Iliould  not  have  the  Cafe  of  fuch  Infants  in  his 
Mind  ;  even  fuppofing,  his  Scope  were  what  our  Author 
fuppofes,  and  he  had  only  intended  to  prove  that  Death 
did  not  come  on  Mankind  for  their  perfbnal  Sin.  How 
directly  would  it  have  ferved  the  Purpofe  of  proving  this, 
to  have  mention'd  £o  great  a  Part  of  Mankind,  that  are 
fubjecl  to  Death,  who, all  know,  never  committed  any  Sin 
in  their  own  Perfons  f  How  much  more  plain  and  eafy 
the  Proof  of  the  Point  by  that,  than  to  go  round  about,  as 
Dr.  T.  fuppofes,  and  bring  in  a  Thing  fo  dark  and  uncer- 
tain, as  this,  That  God  never  would  bring  Death  on 
Mankind  for  perfonal  Sin  (tho'  they  had  perfonal  Sin) 
without  an  exprefs  revealed  Conflitutlon  ;  and  then  to  ob- 
ferve,  that  there  w?sno  revealed. Confiitution  of  this  Na- 
ture from  Adam  to  Mofes  ;  which  alfo  feems  a  Thing 
without  any  plain  Evidence  ;  and  then  to  infer,  that  it 
muft  needs  be  fb,  that  it  could  come  only  on  Occaflon  of 
Adams  Sin,  though  net  for  his  Sin,  or  as  anyPunifhment 
of  it  j  which  Inference  aifo  is  very  dark  &  unintelligible. 

E  e  .  If 


282     The  true  Connect lion >  Scope,    Part  II. 

If  theApoftlc  in  thisPlace  meant  thofe  who  never  finned 
by  their  perfonal  Act,  it  is  not  ftrange  that  he  ftiould  ex- 
prefsthis  by  their  not  finning  after  theSiraiUiude  ^Adam's 
Tranfgrefhn.  We  read  of  two  Ways  of  Men's  being  like 
•Adam,  or  in  which  a  Similitude  to  him  is  afcribed  to  Men  : 
One  is  a  being  begotten  or  born  in  his  Image  or  Likenefs, 
Gen.  v.  3.  Another  is  a  tfranfgreillng  God's  Covenant  or 
Law,  like  him,  Hof.  vi.  7.  They,  like  Adam  [fo,  in  the 
Jtieb.  &  Vulg.  Lat.~]  have  tranfgrejfcd  the  Covenant. 
Infants  have  the  former  Similitude  ;  but  not  the  latter. 
And  it  was  very  natural,  when  the  Apoille  would  infer, 
that  Infants  become  Sinners  by  that  one  Ael  &  Offence  or 
•Adam,  to  obferve,  that  they  had  not  renewed  the  Aft  of 
Sin  themfelves,by  any  fecond  Inftance  of  a  like  Sort.  And 
fitch  might  be  the  State  of  Language  among  Jews  and 
Chriflians  at  that  Day,  that  the  Apoflk  might  have  no 
Phrafe  more  aptly  to  exprefs  this  Meaning.  The  Manner 
in  which  the  Epithets,  Perfonal  and  Atlual,  are  ufed  and 
applied,  now  in  this  Cafe,  is  probably  of  later  Date  and 
3Tiore  modern  Ufc. 

And  then  this  Supposition  of  the  Apoftle's  having  the 
Cafe  of  Infants  in  View,  in  this  Expreffion, makes  it  more 
to  his  Purpofe,to  mention  Death  Reigning  before  the  Law 
of  Mofes  was  given.  For  the  Jews  iook'd  on  all  Nati- 
ons,befides  themfelves.as  Sinners,  by  Virtue  of 'their 'Lazu  ; 
being  made  fo  efpecially  by  the  Lazu  of  Circumcifwn, 
given  firfl  loyJbroham,  and  compleated  by  Aftf/fo,  making 
the  Want  of  Circumcifion  a  legalP?//z^/£/2,utterly-difqua- 
lifying  for  the  Privileges  cf  the  Sanctuary.  This  Law, 
the  Jews  inppofed,  made  the  very  Infants  of  the  Gentiles 
Sinners,  polluted'and  hateful  to  God  ;  they  being  uncir- 
cumcifed,  and  born  of  uncircumcifcd  Parents.  But  the 
Apoftle  proves,  againft  thefe  Notions  of  the  Jews,  that 
the  Nations  of  the  World  don't  become  Sinners  by  Na- 
ture, and  Sinners  from  Infancy,- by  Virtue  of  their  Law, 
in  this  Manner,  but  by  Adam's  Sin  :  In-as-much  as  In- 
fants were  treated  as  Sinners  long  before  the  Law  of  Cir* 
cumcif  on  was  given,as  well  as  before  they  had  committed 
.-ctual  Sin.  .  What 


SctP,jiV^  and  Senfe  of  Kom.  v.  i2,&c.   283 

What  lias  been  faid,  may,  as  I  humbly  conceive,  lead 
us  ro  that  which  is  the  true  Scope  &  Senfe  of  the  Apoflle 
in  thefe  three  Verfcs  ;  which  I  will  endeavour  more  briefly 
to  reprefent  in  the  following  Paraphrafe. 

"TheThings which  I  have  largely  10* JFherefore   as 

infifieci  on,  viz.  the  Evil  that  is  in  the  7  -ha      t*-' 

,rr    ,,     ,  .  tx-.  ,     .     n  ~   -i  by  one  IVLanhin  en- 

World,  the  general  UickcJncfs.Guik  /rediniotheTForldp 

and  Ruin  of  Mankind    and  the  oppo^  ^^^  j    gA| 

fite  Good,  even  Juftihcation  &  Life,  and  rQ<T)eathpafre(i 

asonly  by  Chriff,  lead  me  to  obferve     .   J    ri  nr  r 

„i      1 <,   J  r     c  \     tvt  •  •       1-1    upon  all  Men,  for 

trie  L.ikenefs  or  the  Manner,  in  which  A         u   1  r 

J .     r  ,        .  l     /     ,    ^      that  all  have  ftn* 
they  arc  each  of  them  introduced,  r  or        , 

it  was  by  one  Man,  that  the  general 
Corruption  and  Guilt  which  I  have 
fpoken  of,  came  into  the  World,  and 
Condemnation  &  Death  by  Sin  :  And 
this  dreadful  Punifhment  and  Ruin 
came  on  all  Mankind,  by  the  great 
Law  of  Works,  originally  eftabliihed 
with  Mankind  in  their  frit  Father, and 
by  his  one  Offence,  or  Breach  of  that 
Law  ;  All  thereby  becoming  Sinners 
in  God's  Sight,  and  expofed  to  final 
Defiruclion. 

"  It  is  manifefr,    that  it  was  in  this   r-    jror  unfi\  fhe 
Way  the  World  became  finful  and  faw    5^  was    )n 
guilty  :  and  not  in  that  Way  which  the  the   j,Forjd  .    But 
Jews  fuppofe,   viz.  That  their  Law,  Sm  }s  mf  impilted) 
given  by  Mofes,  is  the  grand  umver-  whm    there   JS    n9 
fal  Rule  of  Righteoufnefs  &  Judgment   raw 
for  Mankind,   and  that  it  is  by  being 
Gentiles,  uncircumcifed   and   Aliens 
from  that  Law,   that   the  Nations  of 
the    World    are  conftttuted  Sinners 
and  unclean.     For  before  the  Law  of" 
Mofes  was  given,   Mankind  were  all  / 

look'd  upon  by  the  great    Judge  as 
Sinners,  by  Corruption  and  Guilt  de- 
rived 14. 


2  §4     5^  Proof  0/"  Original  Sin     Part  II. 

rived  from  .Adam's  Violation  of  the 

original  Law  of  Works ;  which  (hews, 

that   the  original,    liniverfal  Rule  of 

Righteoufnefs  is  not  the  Law  of  -Ms- 

fes  ;  for  if  fo,  there  would  have  been 

no  Sin  imputed  before  that  was  given  ; 

becaufe  Sin  is  not  imputed,whcn  there 

is  no  Law. 

pj         ,  j  r         "  But,  that  at  that  Time    Sin  was 

14.  /V evert helps,   impuUd     A  Mcn  wefe  b    their  Judge 

Death  reigned  from      -S         1       c-  u  ■*  r*  -i        j 

a  j      j  tvt  r  reckoned  as  burners,    thro  Guilt  and 

Atom  to  motes, even  n  j    •     j  c  aj  1 

^,        ^    1  ,     .  CorruDtion  derived  trom  Adam,  and 
over  them  that  had         1   x       ir     c -^  ^     */    *i 

^  -  ,  ■>,  , ,  condemned  tor  bin  toDeath,  the pro- 
not  finned  after  the         t>     -ru        v     c    c-  i     x 

o-  •/.,.      .   y  ^     .     per  runnhment  or    0111,  we   nave  a 
similitude    of    A-  ri  •  t>      r    •     .-u  ♦  • .  •  r?  n 

j      >     cr-      r     /n    plainrroor  ;  in  that  it  appears  mJbacr, 
dams   Tranfgref,-  ^  Mankind  dufW that wholeTime 

which  preceeded  the  Law  of  Mofes, 
were  fubjected  to  that  temporal 
Death,  which  is  the  vifible  Intro- 
duction and  Image  of  that  utter  De- 
ft  ruction  which  Sin  defer ves ;  not  ex- 
cepting even  Infants,  who  could  be 
Sinners  no  other  Way  than  by  virtue 
of  Adam's  Tranfgrefhon,  having  ne- 
ver in  their  own  Perfons  actually  fin'd 
as  Adam  did  ;  nor  could  at  tbatTime 
be  made  polluted  by  the  Law  of 
Mofes,  as  being  uncircumcifed,  or 
born  of  ur.ciixumcifed  Parents.'5 

Now,  by  way  of  Reflection  on  the  whole,  I  would  ob- 
ferve,  that  though  there  are  two  or  three  ExprefTions 
in  this  Paragraph,  Rom.  v.  12,  £cc,  the  Defign  of 
which  is  attended  with  fome  Difficulty  and  Obfcurity,  as 
particularly  in  the  13th  8c  14th  Verfes ;  yet  the  Scope  and 
Senfe  of  the  Difcourfe  in  general  is  not  obfeure,  but  on 
the  contrary  very  clear  and  manifeft  ;  and  fo  is  the  parti- 
cular Doctrine  mainly  taught  in  it.     TheApoftle  fets  hin> 

felf 


s"AP'3iy''^  from  ^om*  v.  full  and  plain.  285 

fclf  with  great  Care  and  Pains  to  make  it  plain,  and  pre- 
cifely  to  fix  and  fettle  the  Point  he  is  upon.  And  the 
Difcourfe  is  fo  framed,  that  one  Part  of  it  does  greatly 
clear  and  fix  the  Meaning  of  other  Parts ;  and  the  Whole 
is  determined  by  the  clear  Connection  it  Hands  in  with 
other  Parts  of.  the  Epiille,  and  by  the  manifeft  Drift  of 
all  the  prcceeding  Part  of  it. 

The  Doctrine  of  original  Sin  is  not  only  here  taught, 
but  mod  plainly,  explicitly  and  abundantly  taught.  This 
Doctrine  is  afTerted,  exprefly  or  implicitly,  in  almoft  every 
Vet  ft  ;  and  in  fome  of  the  Verfes  feveral  Times.  'Tis 
fully  implied  in  that  fi  rft  Exprcflion  in  the  12th  y.  By 
one  Man  Sin  entred  into  thefForld.  Which  implies,  that 
Sin  became  un'roerfal  in  the  World  ;  as  the  Apoltle  had 
before  largely  fhewn  it  was  ;  and  not  meerly  (which  would 
be  a  trifling  infignificant  Observation)  that  one  Man,  who 
was  made  firft,  fin'd  firft,  before  ocherMen  fin'd  ;  or,  that 
it  did  not  fo  happen  that  many  Men  began  to  fin  jufi  toge- 
ther at  the  fame  Moment. — The  latter  Part  of  theVerfe, 
And  'Death  by  Sin,  and  fo  'Death  faffed  upon  all  Men, 
for  that  (or,  if  you  will,  unto  which)  all  have  finned, 
iliews,  that  in  the  Eye  of  the  Judge  of  the  World,  in 
Ada?n\  firft  Sin,  all  finned  ;  not  only  in  fome  Scrt,  but 
all  fin'd  y}  as  to  be  expofed  to  that  Death,  and  final  De- 
duction, which  is  the  proper  IFages  of  Sin. — The  fame 
Doctrine  is  taught  again  twice  over  in  the  14th  jj,  It  is 
there  obferved,  as  a  Proof  of  this  Doctrine,  that  Death 
reigned  over  them  which  had  not  fnned  after  the  Simili- 
tude of  Adam's  Tranfgrejjion,  i.  e.  by  their  perfonal  Act ; 
and  therefore  could  be  expofed  to  Death,  only  by  deriv- 
ing Guilt  and  Pollution  from  Adam,  in  Confequence  of 
his  Sin.  And  'tis  taught  again,  in  thofe  Words,  Who  is 
the  Figure  of  him  that  was  U  come.  The  Refcmblance 
lies  very  much  in  this  Circumftance,  viz.  our  deriving. 
Sin,  Guilt  and  Punilhment  by  Adam's  Sin,  as  we  do 
Righteoufnefs,  Juftification,  and  the  Reward  of  Life  by 
Chrift'sObedience  :  for  fo  theApcftle  explains  hirafeif. — ■ 
The   fame  Doctrine  is  exprefly  taught;  again^   f.  15th. 

Through 


286     7%e  Proof  of  Original  Sin     Part  II. 

Through  the  Offence  of  one  many  be  dead.  And  again, 
twice  in  the  1 6th  /-.  It  -was  by  one  that  finned ',i.e.  It  was 
by  Adam  that  Guilt  and  Punifhment  (before  fpoken  of) 
came  on  Mankind  :  And  in  thefe  Words,  Judgment  was 
by  one  to  Condemnation. — It  is  again  plainly  and  fully  laid 
down  in  the  17th  f.  By  one  Man9  s  Offence, T)eath  reign- 
ed by  one.  So  again  in  the  1  8th  f.  By  the  Offence  of 
one,  Judgment  came  upon  all  Men  to  Condemnation. — - 
Again,  very  plainly  in  the  19th  f.  By  one  Mans  T)if 
obedience,  many  were  made  Sinners. 

And  here  is  every  Thing  to  determine  &  fix  dielWfcan? 
ing  of  all  important  Terms,  that  the  Apoftle  makes  Ufe 
of  :  As,  the  abundant  Ufe  of  'em  in  all  Parts  of  the  New 
Teflament ;  and  efpecially  in  this  Apoflle's  Writings,  which 
make  up  a  very  great  Part  of  the  New  Teilament  :  and 
his  repeated  Ufe  of 'em  in  this  Epiille  in  particular,  efpe- 
cially in  the  proceeding  Part  of  the  Epiille,  which  leads  to 
and  introduces  this  Difcourfe,  and  in  the  former  Part  of 
this  very  Chapter  ;  and  alfo,the  Light,  that  one  Sentence 
in  this  Paragraph  cads  on  another  ;  which  fully  fettles 
their  Meaning  :  As,  with  refpecl:  to  the  Words,  Juftifxa- 
tion,  Right eoufnefs,  and  Condemnation  ;  and  above  all,  in 
regard  of  the  Word,  Sin,  which  is  the  moft  important  of 
all,  with  Relation  to  the  Doctrine  and  Controversy  we  are 
upon.  Befides  the  conftant  Ufe  of  this  Term  every  where 
die  thro'  the  new  Teilament,  thro'  the  Epiflles  of  this 
Apoftle,  this  Epiille  in  particular,  and  even  the  former 
Part  of  this  Chapter,  'tis  often  repeated  in  this  very  Para- 
graph, and  evidently  11  fed  in  the  very  Senfe,  that  is  denied 
to  belong  to  it  in  the  End  of  >\  12th,  and  f.  19th,  tho 
own'd  every  where  elfe  ;  and  its  Meaning  is  fully  deter- 
mined by  the  Apoflle's  varying  the  Term;  u (ing  together 
with  it,  to  flgnify  the  fame  thing,  fuch  a  Variety  of  other 
fynonymous  Words,  fuch  as  Offence,  Tranfgreffion,  T)if- 
obedience.  And  further,  to  put  the  Matter  out  of  all 
Controverfy,  'tis  particularly  and  exprefly,  and  repeatedly 
diftinguilhed  from  that  which  our  Oppofers  would  explain 
V  by,  viz.Condemnatien^nd  Death.     And  what  is  meant 

by 


Chap 
Sect 


'lu'  \  from  R°m  v-  fatt  an^  plffln*    2  8  7 

by  5/^V  enter ing  into  the  World,  in  f.  1 2  th,  is  determined 
by  a  like  Phrafe  of  Sin's  being  in  the  World,  in  the  next 
Ycrfe. — And  that  by  the  Offence  of  one,  fo  often  fpoken 
of  here,  as  bringing  Death  and  Condemnation  on  all,  the 
Apoflle  means  the  Sin  of  one,  derived  in  it's  Guilt  and 
Pollution  to  Mankind  in  general,  is  a  Thing  which  (over 
and  above  all  that  has  been  already  obferved)  is  fettled  and 
determined  by  thofe  Words  in  the  Conclufion  of  this  Dif. 
courfe.  >\2o.  Moreover ,ihe Law  entred,  that  iheOffence 
might  abound  :  But  -where  Sin  abounded,  Grace  did 
"  more  abound.  Thefe  Words  plainly  ilievv,  that  the 
C  FFENCE,  fpoken  of  fo  often,  and  evidently  fpoken  of 
flill  in  thefe  Words,  which  was  the  Offence  of  one  Man, 
became  the  Sin  of  all.  For  when  he  fays,  'The  Law  en- 
tred,  that  the  Offence  might  abound,  his  Meaning  can't 
be,  that  the  Offence  of  Adam,  meerly  as  his  personally, 
fhould  abound  ;  but,  as  it  exifts  in  it's  derived  Guilt,  cor- 
rupt Influence,  and  evil  Fruits,  in  the  Sin  of  Mankind  in 
general,  even  as  a  Tree  in  it's  Root  and  Branches.* 

'Tis  a  Thing  that  confirms  the  Certainty  of  the  Proof 
of  the  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin,  which  this  Place  affords, 
that  the  utmoft  Art  cannot  pervert  it  to  another*  Senfe. 
What  a  Variety  of  the  moil:  artful  Methods  have  been  ufed 
by  the  Enemies  of  this  Doclrine,  to  zvrejl  and  darken  this 
Paragraph  of  holy  Writ,which  (lands  fo  much  in  their  Way, 
as  it  were  to  force  the  Bible  to  fpeak  a  Language  that  is* 
agreable  to  theirMind  !  How  haveExpreffions  been  ftraimd, 

Words 


The  Offence,  according  to  Dr.  T—-rs  Explanation,  dent 
abound  hy  the  Law  at  ail  really  and  truly,  in  any  Senfe  ;  nei- 
ther the  &»,nor  the  Puni/hmenf.  For  he  fays,  '6  The  Mean- 
"  ing  is  not,  that  Men  fhould  be  made  more  wicked  ;  but, 
"  'that  Men  mould  be  liable  to  Death  for  every  Tranf- 
<6  greffion."— But  after all,they  are  liable  to  no  moreDeaths, 
nor  to  any  worfeDeaths,if  they  are  not  more  finful :  For  they 
were  to  have  Punifhment,  according  to  their  Deierts  before. 
Such  as  died  and  went  into  another  World  before.the  Law 
of  Mcfes  was  given,were  punifhed  according  to  xhz'ix  Defer  is  -? 
and  the  Laiv>  when  it  came,  threatned  no  more. 


288  Proof yrcmKrm.v .plain& *full.  Part  II, 

Yvrords  Sc  Phrafes  rack'd  !  What  ftrange  Figures  of  Speech 
have  been  invented,  and  with  violent  Hands  thruft  into 
the  Apoftle's  Moufch  ;  and  then  with  a  bold  Countenance 
and  magifterialAirS  obtruded  on  the  World,  as  from  him  !— 
But,  bletled  be  God,  we  have  his  Words  as  he  delivered 
them,  &  the  reft  of  the  fameEpiftle  fe  his  other  Writings, 
'to  Compare  with  them  ;  by  which  his  Meaning  ftands  in 
too  ftrong  and  glaring  a  Light  to  be  hid  by  any  of  the  arti- 
ficial Mills,  which  they  labour  to  throw  upon  it. 

'Tis  really  no  lefs  than  chufing  the  Scripture  and  ks 
Readers,  to  reprefent  this  Paragraph  as  the  moft  obfeure 
of  all  the  Places  of  Scripture,  that  fpeak  of  the  Confequen- 
ces  of  Adams  Sin  ;  and  to  treat  it  as  if  there  was  Need 
firft  to  ccnfider  other  Places  as  more  plain.  Whereas,  'tis 
mod  manifeftly  a  Place  in  which  thefe  things  are  declared, 
beyond  all,  the  moft  plainly,  particularly,  precifely  and  of 
fet  Purpose,  by  that  great  Apoftle,  who  has  moft  fully  ex- 
plain^ to  u;  tliofe  Doclrincs,  in  general,  which  relate  to 
the  Redemption  by  Chrift,  and  the  Sin  and  Mifery  we  are 
redeem' d  from. — And  it  muft  be  now  left  to  the  Reader's 
Judgment,  whether  the  Chriftian  Church  has  not  proceed- 
ed reafonabiy,  in  looking  on  this  as  a  Place  of  Scripture 
moft  clearly  and  fully  treating  of  thefe  things,  &  in  nfing 
it's  determinate  Senfe  as  an  Help  to  fettle  the  Meaning 
of  many  other  Parages  of  facred  Writ. 

£  s  this  Place  in  general  is  very  plain  and  full,  fo  the 
Doctrine  of  the  Corruption  of  Nature,  as  derived  "from 
Adam,  and  alfo  the  Imputation  of  his  firft  Sin.  are  both 
clearly  taught  in  it.  The  Imputation  of  Adams  one 
Tranigreffion,  is  indeed  moft  directly  &  frequently  adertcd. 
We  are  here  allured, that  by  one  Maris  Si??,  Heath  faffed 
on  all ;  all  being  adjudged  to  this  Punifhment,  as  having 
finned  (fo  it  is  implied)  in  that  one  Man's  Sin.  And  'tis 
repeated  over  and  over,  that  all  are  condemned,  many  are 
dead,  many  made  Sinners,  &c.  by  one  Maris  Offence,  by 
the  Hi/obedience  of  one,  and  by  one  Offence. — And  the 
Doclrine  of  original  "Depravity  is  alfo.  here  taught,  when 

th* 


Chap lf: \     Proof  from  Redemption.      289 

the  Apoftle  fays,  By  one  Man  Sin  entered  into  the  World  j 
having  a  plain  Refpecr.  (as  h3th  been  (hewn)  to  that  univer- 
fal  Corruption  and  WickednefV,  as  well  as  Guile,  which 
he  had  before  largely  treated  of. 


PART     III. 

Obferving  the  Evidence  given  us^relative  to 
the  DoEtrine  of  Original  Sin,  in  what  the 
Scriptures  reveal  concerning  /^Redemp- 
tion by  Christ. 

Chap.     I. 

The  Evidence  of  Original  Sin  from  the  Nature  of 
Redemption,  in  the  Procurement  of  it. 

ACcording  to  Dr.  T — r\  Scheme,  a  very  great  Part 
of  Mankind  are  the  Subjecte  of  Chrift's  Redemption, 
who  live  and  die  perfectly  innocent  ;  who  never  have  had, 
and  never  will  have  any  Sift  charged  to  their  Accou'nr/ahd 
never  are  either  the  Subjefts  of,  or  expofed  to  any  Punifb* 
mmt  wbatfoever,  viz.  All  that  die  in  Infancy,  They  are 
the  Subjects  of  Chriffs  Redemption,  as  he  redeems  'em 
from  T>eath,  or  as  they  by  his  Righteoufnefs  have  Jufti- 
fcation,  and  by  his  Obedience  ane  made  Righteous,  in  the 
Refurreclion  of  the  Body,  in  the  Senfe  of  Rom.  v.  i  8,  i:o. 
And  all  Mankind  are  thus  the  Subjects  of  Chrift's  Redemp- 
tion, while  they  are  perfeclly  guiltlefs,  and  expofed  to  no 
Punifhmenr,as  byChrift  they  are  intitled  to  a  Refurreciion. 
Tho  with  refpecf  to  fuch  Perfons  as  have  finned,  he  allows 
it  is  in  fome  Sort  by  Chrift  and  his  Death,  that  they  are 
faved  from  Sin  and  the  Pnniihment  of  it. 

Now  let  us  fee  whether  flich  a  Scheme  well  connfls  with 
the  Scripture- Account  of  the  Redemption  by  Jefus  Chr 

F  f  J.   The 


290         Proof  of  Original  Sin      Part  III. 

I.  The  Reprefentations  of  the  Redemption  by  Chrift , 
every  where  in  Scripture,  lead  us  to  fuppofe,  that  all  whom 
he  came  to  redeem,  are  Sinners  ;  that  his  Salvation,  as  to 
the  Term  from  which  (or  the  Evil  to  be  redeemed  from) 
in  all  is  Sin,  and  the  deferved  Punifiment  of  Sin.  'Tis 
natural  to  fuppofe,  that  when  he  had  his  Name  Jefus,  or 
Saviour,  given  him  by  God's  fpecial  and  immediate  Ap- 
pointment, the  Salvation  meant  by  that  Name  mould  be 
his  Salvation  in  general  ;  and  not  only  a  Part  o£  his  Sal- 
vation, and  with  Regard  only  to  fbme  of  them  that  he  came 
to  fave.  But  this  Name  was  given  him  to  fignify  hhfav- 
ing  his  people  from  their  Sins,  Matth.  i.  21.  And  the 
great  Doctrine  of  Chrift's  Salvation  is,  that  he  came  into 
theWorld  to  fave  Sinners,  1  Tim.  i.  15.  And  that  Chrift 
hath  once  fuffercd,  the  jufl  for  the  unjuft,  1  Pet.  iii.  18. 
In  this  was  manifefled  the  Love  of  God  towards  us  (to- 
wards fuch  in  general  as  have  the  Benefit  of  God's  Love 
in  giving'Chriit)  that  Godfent  his  only  begotten  Son  into 
the  World,   that  vje  might  live   thro''  Him.     Herein   is 

Love that  he  feni  his  Son  to  be  the  Propitiation  for 

cur  Sins,  1  Joh.  iv.  10.  Many  other  Texts  might  be 
mention'd,  which  feem  evidently  to  fuppofe,  that  all  who 
are  redeem'd  by  Chrift;  are  faved  from  Sin,  We  are  led  1 
by  what  Chrift  himfelf  faid,  to  fuppofe,that  if  any  are  not 
Sinners,  they  have  no  Need  of  him  as  a  Redeemer,  any 
more  then  a  well  Man  of  a  Phyfician,  Mark  ii.  17.  And 
that  Men,  in  order  to  being  the  proper  Suhjecls  of  the 
Mercy  of  God  through  Chrift,  mtift  firft  be  in  a  State  of 
S  n,  is  implied  in  Gal.  iii.  22.  But  the  Scripture  hath 
concluded  all  under  Sin,  that  the  Promife  by  Faith  of 
Jefus  Chrifl  plight  be  given  to  them  thai  believe.  To  the 
fame  EfTecr.  is  Rom.  xi.  32. 

Thefe  Thirlgs  are  greatly  confirmed  by  the  Scripture- 
DocTrine  of  Sacrifices.  'Tis  abundantly  plain,  by  both 
old  and  new  Teftament,  that  they  were  Types  of  Chrift's 
Death,  and  were  for  Sin,  and  fuppofed  Sin  in  thofe  for 
whom  they  were  offered.  The  Apoftlc  fuppofes,  that  in 
Order  to  any  having  the  Benefit  of  the  eternal  Inheri- 
tance 


Chap.  I.    from  Redemption  by  Chrijl.     29  1 

iance  by  Chrift,  there  muft  of  NeceJJity  be  the  "Death  of 
the  T eft  at  or  ;  and  gives  that  Reafon  for  it,  .that  without 
fbedding  of  Blood  there  is  no  Remiftion.  Heb.  ix.  15,  &c. 
And  Chrift:  Himfelf,  in  reprefenting  the  Benefit  of  his 
Blood,  in  the  Inftitution  of  the  Lord  s  Supper,  under  the 
Notion  of  the  Blood  of  a  T eft  anient ,  calls  it  the  Blood 
of  the  New  Te (lament,  fhed  for  the  Re?niftl  n  of  Sins, 
Matth.  xxvi.  28. — But  according  to  the  Scheme  of  our 
Author,  many  have  the  eternal  Inheritance  by  the  Death 
of  the  Tefb.tor,who  never  had  any  Need  of  RemiiTion. 

II.  The  Scripture  reprefents  the  Redemption  by  Chrift: 
as  a  Redemption  from  deferved  DeftrucHon  j  and  that,not 
meerly  as  it  refpedh  fome  Particulars,  but  as  the  Fruit  of 
God's  Love  to  Mankind.  Job.  iii.  1  6.  God  fq  loved  the 
WORLD ,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Sonjhat  who- 

foever  believeth  in  him  MIGHT  NOT  PERISH,  but 
might  have  everlafting  Life.  Implying,  that  otherwife 
they  muft  perifh,  or  be  deftroyed.  But  what  Neceflity  of 
this,  if  they  did  not  deferve  to  be  deflroyed  ?  Now,  that 
the  DeftrucYion  here  fpoken  of,  is  deferved  Deft  ruction,  is 
manifeft,  becaufe  it  is  there  compared  to  the  perifliing  of 
fuch  of  the  Children  of  Ifrael  as  died  by  the  Bite  of  the 
fiery  Serpents,  which  God  in  his  Wrath,  for  their  Rebel- 
lion, fent  amcngft  them.  And  the  fame  Thing  clearly 
appears  by  the  laft  Verfe  of  the  fame  Chapter,  He  that 
believeth  on  the  Son,  hath  ever  la  fling  Life  ;  and  he  thai 
believeth  not  the  Son,  ft?  all  not  fee  Life,  bat  the  Wrath 
of  God  abideth  on  him,  or,  is  left  remaining  on  him: 
Implying,  that  all  in  general  are  found 'under  the  Wrath 
of  God,  and  that  they  only  of  all  Mankind,  who  are  inte- 
refted  in  Chrift, have  this  Wrath  removed,  and  eternal  Life 
bellowed  ;  the  reft  are  left,  with  the  Wrath  of  God  ft  ill 

"  remaining  on  them.     The  fame  is  clearly  illuftrated  and 

confirmed  by  J  oh.  v.  24. -He  that  believeth — hath 

everlafting  Life,  and  ft?  all  not  come  into  Condemnation, 
but  is  faffed from  'Death  to  Life.  In  being  palled 'from 
Death  to  Life  is  implied,  that  before  they  were  all  in  a 
State  of  Death  ;  and  they  are  fpoken  of  as  being  fo  by  a 

J.       I      X,  »«.■  ci  i  c  w  i  >--  *> 


29 2  Dr.T— is  Scheme fuperfedes  Part  III. 

.  Sentence  of  Condemnation  ;  and  if  it  be  a  jufl  Condem- 
nation, 'tis  a  deferred  Condemnation. 

III.  It  will  follow  onDr.  T—  r's  Scheme,  that  Chrift's 
Redemption, with  regard  to  a  gfcatPart  of  them  who  are  the 
Subjects  of  it,  is  not  only  a  Redemption  from  no  Sin,  but 
from  no  Calamity,  and  fo  from  no  'Evil  of  any  Kind.  For 
as  to  Death,  which  Infants  are  redeemed  from,  they  never 
were  fubjected  to  it  as  a  Calamity,  but  purely  as  a  Benefit, 
■  ^  It  came  by  no  Threatning,  or  Curfe,  denounced  upon  or 
through  Adam  ;  the  Covenant  with  him  being  utterly  a- 
bolijbedy  as  to  all  it's  Force  &  Power  on  Mankind  (accord- 
ing to  our  Author)  before  the  pronouncing  the  Sentence 
of  "Mortality.  Therefore  Trouble  and  Death  could  be 
appointed  to  innocent  Mankind,  no  other  Way  than  on  the 
Foot  of  another  Covenant,  the  Covenant  of  Grace  ;  and 
in  this  Channel  they  come  only  as  Favours,  not  as  Evils. 
*  Therefore  they  could  need  no  Medicine  or  R.emedy;  for 
they  had  no  Difeafe.  Even  Death  itfelf,  which  it  is  fup- 
pofed  Chrift  faves  'em  from, is  only  a  Medicine  ;  'tis  pre- 
venting Phyfick;  and  one  of  the  greateft  of  Benefits.  It's 
ridiculous,  to  talk  of  Pericns  needing  a  Medicine,  or  a 
Phyfician.to  fave  'em  from  an  excellent  Medicine  ;  or  of  a 
Remedy  from  a  happy  Remedy  1  If  it  be  faid,  thos  Death 
be  a  Benefit,  yet  'tis  fc»  becaufe  Chrift  changes  it,  and  turns 
it  into  a  Benefit,  by  procuring  a  RefiarecJion  : — I  would 
here  ail:,  What  can  be  meant  by  tunvnv  or  chanfinv  \t 
into  a  Benefit,  when  it  never  was  otherwife,  nor  could 
eierjuftfy  be  otherwife  ?  Infants  could  not  at  all  be 
brought  underDeath  as  a  Calamity :  for  they  never  deferved 
it.  And  it  would  be  only  an  Abufe  (be  it  far  from  us,  to 
afcribe  fuch  a  Thing  to  God)  in  any  Being,  to  make  the 
Offer,  to  any  poor  SufFerers,of  a  Redeemer  from  fomeCa- 
.  kmity;  which  he  had  brought  upon  them  without  the  leaft 
•fert  of  it  on  their  Part.  » 

-  it  is  plain,  that  Death  or  Mortality  was  not  at  rirfr. 
^\      brought  on  Mankind  as  a  BlefFing,  on  the  Foot  of  the  Co- 
venant   of  Cv^vc  through  Chrift  :  and   that   Chrift  and 
■  Grace  don't   frn;?*  Mankind  underDeath,  but  find  'em 

under 


I 

Chap.  I.       Redemption  by  Chrift.  2g3 

under  it.  t  Cor.  v.  14.  We  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died 
for  all,  then  were  all  dead.  Luk.  x.  1  o.  'The  Son  of 
Man  is  come  to  fee  k  and  to  five  that  which  teas  loJK 
The  Grace,  which  -appears  in  providing  a  Deliverer  from 
any  State,fuppofes  die  Subject  to  be  in  that  State  prior  to 
that  Grace  and  Deliverance  ;  and  not  that  Rich  a  State  is 
firft  introduced  by  that  Grace.  In  our  Author's  Scheme, 
there  never  could  be  any  Sentence  of  Death,  or  Condem- 
nation, that  requires  a  Saviour  from  it  ;  becaufe  the  very 
Sentence  itfelf,  according  to  the  true  Meaning  of  it,  im- 
plies and  makes  fure  all  that  Good,  which  is  requidteto 
abolifh  and  make  void  the  feeming  Evil  to  the  innocent 
Subject.  So  that  the  Sentence  itfelf  is  in  Effect  the  De- 
liverer ;  and  there  is  no  Need  of  another  Deliverer,  to 
deliver  from  that  Sentence.  Dr.  T.  infills  upon  it,  that 
"  Nothing  comes  upon  us  in  Confequence-  of  Adam's 
"  Sin,  in  any  SENSE,  KIND,  or  DEGREE,  inconfiftent 
"  with  the  original  Ble/Jincr  pronounced  on  Adam,  at  his 
"  Creation  ;  and  Nothing  but  what  is  perfectly  confident 
"  with  God's  Blefling,  Love,  and  Goodnefs,  declared  to 
"  Adam,as  foon  as  he  came  out  of  his  Maker's  Hands."* 
If  the  Cafe  be  fo,  it  is  certain  there  is  no  Evil  or  Calamity 
at  all,  for  Chriit  to  redeem  us  from  ;  unlefs  T&'/w  avre* 
able  to  the  divine  Goodnefs,  Love  &  Bleffiw,  are  Things 
which  we  need  Redemption  from. 

IV.  It  will  follow  on  our  Author's  Principles,  not  only 
with  Refpect  to  Infants,  but  even  adult  Perfons,  that  Re- 
den  prion  is  needlefs,  and  Chriil  is  dead  in  vain.  Not  only 
is  there  no  Need  of  Chrift's  Redemption  in  Order  to  De- 
liverance from  anyConfequences  of ' Adam'* $Sm, but  alfo  in 
Order  to  perfect  Freedom  from  pergonal  Sin,  and  all  it's 
evil  Confequences.  For  God  has  made  other  fufficient 
Provifion  for  that,  viz.  a  fufficient  Power  and  Ability,  in 
all  Mankind,  to  do  all  their  'Duty,  and  wholly  to  avoid 
Sin.  Yea,  this  Author  infills  upon  it,  that  "  when  Men 
c;  have  not  fufficient  Power  to  do  their  Duty,  they,  have 


<s  r.o 


!  *'•*&*   3% 


294  &r-  T— r's  Scheme fuperfedes  Part  III. 

tc  no  Duty  to  do.*  We  may  fafely  &  affiuredly  conclude 
Cl  (fays  be)  that  Mankind  in  all  Parts  of  the  World  hove 
"  SUFFICIENT  Power  to  do  the  Duty,  which  God 
"  requires  of  them  ;  and  that  he  requires  of 'em  NO 
"  MORE  than  they  have  SUFFICIENT  Power  to  do.'' 
And  in  another  Place,f  "  God  has  given  Powers  EQUAL 
«'  to  the  Duty,  which  he  expe&s."  And  he  exprefTes  a 
<rreat  Diflike  at  R.  R5s  fuppofing,  "  that  our  Propenfities 
**  to  Evil,  and  Ternptations,are  too  ftrong  to  be  EFFEC- 

<<  TUALLY  and  CONSTANTLY  refitted  ; or 

w  that  v/e  are  unavoidably  finful  IN  A  DEGREE,  that 
"  our  Appetites  and  PalTions  will  be  breaking  out,  not- 
*c  withstanding  our  everlafting  Watchful  nefs."||  Thefe 
Things  fully  imply,  that  Men  have  in  their  own  natural 
Ability  fufficient  Means  to  avoid  Sin,  and  to  be  perfectly 
free  from  it  ;  and  fo,  from  ail  the  bad  Confequences  of 
it.  And  if  the  Means  net  fufficient,  then  there  is  no  Need 
of  more.  And  therefore  there  is  no  Need  of  Chrifl's  dying 
in  Order  to  it.  What  Dr.  T.  fays  in  P.  348.  fully  implies, 
that  it  would  be  unjuft  in  God, to  give  Mankind  Being  in 
fuchCircumfiances,as  that  they  would  be  more  likely  to  (in, 
fb  as  to  be  expofed  to  final  Mifery,:han  otherwise.  Hence 
then  without  Chrift  and  his  Redemption,and  without  any 
Grace  at  all,  MEER  JUSTICE  makes  fufficient  Pro- 
vlfion  for  our  being  free  from  Sin  and  Mifery,  by  our 
own  Power. 

If  all  Mankind,  in  all  Parts  of  the  World,  have  fuch 
fufficient  Power  to  do  their  whole  Duty,  without  being 
finful  in  any  ^Degree,  then  they  have  fufficient  Power  to 
obtain  Righteoulnefs  by  the  Law  :  And  then,  according 
to  theApcftle  Paul,Chrift  is  dead  in  vain.  Gal.ii.21.  If 
Righteoufnefs  come  by  theLawyChrift  is  dead  in  vain; — 
31*  v2!>.x,  without  the  Article,  by  Law,  or  the  Rule  of  right 
Action,  as  our  Author  explains  the  Phrafe.J  And  accord- 
mo-  to  the  Senfe  in  which  he  explains  this  very  Place,  "  It 

"  would 

*  P.  nr.  339,  340.         t  P.  343.         II  P-  344-         t  pref- 
to  Par.  on  Ram.  §.  3S. 


Chap,  l       Redemption  by  Chrijt.  295 

tc  would  have  fruftrated,or  rendered  ufelefs,  the  Grace  of 
"  God;  if  Chrift  died  to  accompiifh  what  was  orMIGHT 
"  have  been  effected  by  Law  itfelf,  without  his  Death."* 
So  that  it  moil  clearly  follows  from  his  own  Doctrine,  that 
Ghrifl  is  dead  in  vain,  and  the  Grace  of  God  is  ufe- 
lefs. The  fame  Apoftle  fays,  If  there  had  been  a  Law 
which  COULT)  have  given  Life,  verily  Righteoufnefs 
fbould  have  been  by  the  Law,  Gal.  iii.  21.  i.  e.  (ftill 
according  to  Dr.  T — r's  own  Senfe)  if  there  was  a  Law, 
that  Man,  in  his  prefent  State,  had  fufficient  Power  per- 
fectly to  fulfil.  For  Dr.  5T.  fappofes  the  Reafon  why  the 
Law  could  not  give  Life,  to  be,  "  not  becaufe  it  was  weak 
4t  in  itfelf,  but  thro'  the  Weaknefs  of  our  Flefh,  and  the 
"  Infirmity  of  the  human  Nature  in  the  prefent  State,  "f 
But  he  fays,  "  Yvre  are  under  a  mild  Difpenfation  of 
c*  GRACE,  making  Allowance  for  our  Infirmities.":!:  By 
our  Infirmities,  we  may  upon  good  Grounds  fuppofe,  he 
means  that  Infirmity  of  human  Nature,  which  he  gives  as 
the  Reafon,  why  the  Law  can't  give  Life.  But  what 
Grace  is  there  in  making  that  Allowance  for  our  Infirmi- 
ties, which  Juftice  itfelf  (according  to  his  Doctrine)  mod 
abfolutely  requires,  as  he  fuppofes. divine  Juftice  exa&ly 
proportions  our  Duty  to  our  Ability  P 

Again,  If  it  be  faid,  that  akho'  Chrift's  Redemption 
was  not  neceflary  to  preferve  Men  from  beginning  to  fin, 
and  getting  into  a  Courfe  of  Sin,  becaufe  they  have  fuffi- 
cient Power  in  themfelves  to  avoid  it  ;  yet  it  may  be  ne~ 
ceiTary  to  deliverMen,  after  they  have  by  their  own  Folly 
brought  themfelves  under  the  'Dominion  of  evil  Appetites 
and  Paffions.  f  |  I  anfwer,  if  it  be  fo,  that  Men  needDe- 
liverance  from  thofe  Habits  and  PaiTions,  which  are  be- 
come too  ffrongfor  them,yet  that  Deliverance,onour  Au- 
thor's Principles,  would  be  no  Salvation  from  Sin.  For,, 
the  Exercife  of  Paffions  which  are  too  ilrong  for  us,    and 

which 

*  Note  on  Rom.  v.  20.  +  Ibid.  %  P.   368. 

tl  See  P.  228.  and  alfo  what  he  fays  of  the  helplefs  State  of 
the  Heathen,  in  Paraph,  and  Notts  oxi.Rcm*  vii,  and  Begin- 
ning of  Chap.  viii. 


296  Dr.  T '— r's  Scheme  fuperfedes  PartUL 

which  we  can't  overcome,  is  neccfjary  :  and  he  flrongly 
urges,  that  a  neceflary  Evil  can  be  no  moral  Evil.  It's 
true,  'tis  the  Effect  of  Evil  as  'tis  the  Effecl  of 
a  bad  Practice,  while  the  Man  remained  at  Liberty, 
and  had  Power  to  have  avoided  it.  But  then,  according 
ro  Dr. 7" — r,  that  evil  Caufe  alone  is  Sin ;  and  not  fo,  the 
neceiTary  Efecl  :  For  he  fays  expreily,  "  The  Caufe  of 
"  every  EfTecT:,  alone,  is  chargeable  with  the  Effect  it  pro- 
"  duceth,  or  which  proceedeth  from  it.  * — And  as  to  that 
Sin  which  was  the  Caufe,  the  Man  needed  no  Saviour 
from  that,  having  had  fufficient  Power  in  himfelf  to  have 
avoided  it.  So  that  it  follows,  by  our  Author's  Scheme, 
that  none  of  Mankind,  neither  Infants,  nor  adult  Peffons, 
neither  the  more  nor  lefs  vicious,  neither  Jews  nor  Gen- 
tiles, neither  Heathens  nor  Chriflians,  ever  did,  or  ever 
could  (land  in  any  Need  of  a  Saviour  ;  and  that,  with 
refpecr.  to  all,  the  Truth  is,  Chrifl  is  dead  in  vain. 

If  any  fhould  fay,  Although  all  Mankind  in  all 
Ages  have  fufficient  Ability  to  do  their  whole  Duty,  and 
fo  may  by  their  own  Power  enjoy  perfect  Freedom  from 
Sin,  yet  God  forefa-w  that  they  would  fin,  and  that  after 
they  had  fin'd  they  would  need  Chrjft's  Death  : — I  anfvver, 
It's  plain  by  what  the  Apoftle  fiys,iri  thofe  Places  which 
were  iuft  now  mention'd,Cz^/.ii.2  i.&  ii'1.2  1.  thatGod  would 
have  efteemed  it  needlefs  to  give  his  Son  to  die  for  Men, 
unlefs  there  had  been  a  prior  Impoffibility  of  their  having 
Righteoufnefs  by  Law  ;  and  that  if  there  had  been-a  Law 
which  COUL'D  have  given  Life,  this  other  Way  by  the 
Death  of  Ch'rift  would  not  have  been  provided.  And  this 
appears  to  be  agreable  to  our  Author's  own  Senfe  of 
Things,  by  his  Words  which  have  been  cited',  wherein  he 
fays,  "  It  would  have  FRUSTRATED  or  rendred 
*  USELESS  the  Grace  of  God,  if  Chrift  died  to  accom- 
«  plifh  what  was  or  MIGHT  HAVE  BEEN  effected 
"  by  Law  itfclf,  without  his  Death." 

V.  It 


■*  P.  128 


Chap,  i.         Redemption  by  Chriji.         297 

V.  It  will  follow  on  Dr.  T — r's  Scheme,  not  only 
that  Chrift/s  Redemption  is  needlefs  for  the  laving  from 
Sin  or  it's  Confequences,  but  alfo  that  it  does  no  Good  that 
Way,  has  no  Tendency  to  any  'Diminution  of  Sin  in  the 
World.  For  as  to  any  Infujton  of  Virtue  or  Holinefs  into 
the  Heart,  by  divine  Power,  through  Chrift  or  his  Re^ 
flcmption,  it  is  altogether  inconfiftent  with  this  Author's 
Notions.  With  him,  inwrought  Virtue,  if  there  were  any 
fuch  thing,  would  be  no  Virtue  ;  not  being  the  EfFecT:  of 
our  own\Vill,Choice  &  Defign,  but  only  of  a  fovereign  Act 
of  God's  PoWer*  And  therefore,  all  that  Chrift  does  to 
increafe  Virtue,  is  only  increafing  our  Talents,  our  Light, 
Advantages,  Means  and  Motives ;  as  he  often  explains  the 
Matter,  f  But  Sin  is  not  at  all  diminifhed.  For  he  fays, 
Our  "Duty  muft  be  meafured  by  our  'Talents  :  as,  a 
Child  that  has  lefs  Talents,  has  lefs  Duty  ;  and  therefore 
muft  be  no  more  expofed  to  commit  Sin,  than  he  that  has 
greater  Talents  ;  becaufe  he  that  has  greater  Talents,  has 
more  Duty  required,  in  exacl  Proportion.il  If  fo,  he  that 
has  but  one  Talent,  has  as  much  .Advantage  to  perform 
that  one  Degree  of  Duty  which  is  required  of  him,  as  he 
that  has^-ye-Talents,  to  perform  his  f.ve  Degrees  of  Duty, 
and  is  no  more  expofed  to  fail  of  it,  And  that  Man's 
Guilt,  who. fins  againft  greater  Advantages,  Means  and 
Motives,  is  greater  in  Proportion  to  his  Talents.j  And 
therefore  it  will  follow,  on  Dr.  T — r'sPrinciples,  that  Men 
fland  no  better  Chance,  have  no  more  eligible  or  valuable 
Probability  of  Freedom  from  Sin  &  Punifhment,  or  of  con- 
tracting but  littleGuilt,or  of  performing  required  Duty,  with 
thegreatAdvantages  &  Talents  implied  inChrift'sRedemp- 
tion,  than  without  them  ;  when  all  things  are  computed, ind 
put  into  theBalances  together,theNumbers,Degrees  &  Ag- 
gravations of  Sin  expofed  to,  Degrees  of  Duty  required,&c. 

G  g  So 

*  See  P.  245,  250,  180.  f  In  P.  44.  P.  50.  &  innumer- 
able other  Places.  ||  See  P.  55,  224,  234,  337,  ^38, 
342,  343,  344,  345.  %  See  Paraph,  on  Rom,  ii.  9. 
alfo  on  ver,  12, 


298        Proof  of  Original  Sin        Part  11L 

So  that  Men  have  no  Redemption  from  Sin,  and  no  new 
Means  of  performingDuty,  that  are  valuable  or  worth  any 
thing  at  all.  And  thus  the  great  Redemption  by  Chrift  in 
every  refpeft  comes  to  Nothing,  with  regard  both  to  In- 
fants and  adult  Perfons. 


Chap.     II. 
Hhe  Evidence  of  the  DoBriue  of  Original  Sin  from 
ivhat  the  Scripture  teaches  of  the  Application  of 
Redemption, 

THE  Truth  of  the  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin  is  very 
clearly  manifeft  from  what  the  Scripture  fays  of 
that  Change  of  State,  which  it  reprefents  as  necefiary  to 
an  actual  Intcreft  in  the  fpiritual  and  eternal  Bleflings  of 
the  Redeemer's  Kingdom. 

In  order  to  this,  it   fpeaks  of  it  as  abfolutely  necefiary 
for  every  one,  that  he  be  regenerated,  or  bom  again.  Joh. 
jii.  3.     Verily,   verily  I  fay  unto  thee,  except   a  Man 
y$m$v  owwfcv,  be  begotten  again,   or  born  again,   he  cannot 
fee  the  Kingdom  of  God.     Dr.  T'.  tho'  he  will  not  allow, 
that  this  fignifies  any  Change  from  a  State  of 'natural  Pro- 
penfity  toSin,  yet  fuppofes,  that  the  newBirth  here  fpoken 
of  means  a  Man's  being  brought   to  a  divine  Life,  in  a 
right  life    and  Application  of  the  natural  Powers  in  a 
Life  of  true  Holinefs  :*  and  that  it  is   the  Attainment  of 
thofe  Habits  of  Virtue  and  Religion,  gives  us  the  real 
Character  of  true  Chriflians,  and  the  Children  of  God\\ 
and  that  it  is  -putting  on  the  new  Nature  of  right  Aclion.  \l 
But  in  order  to  proceed  in  the  moft  fure  &  fafe  Manner, 
in  our  underftanding  what  is  meant  in  Scripture  by  being 
bom  again,  and  Co  in  thelnferences  we'draw  from  what  is 
faid  of  the  Neceflity  of  it,  let  us  compare  Scripture  with 
Scripture,  and  confider  what  other  Terms  or  Phrafes  are 
tifed,  in  other  Places,  where  Refpect  is  evidently  had  to 
the  fame  Change.     And  here  I  would  obferve  the  follow- 
ing. Things.  I.  If 

*      P.      I44.  f      P'      246,      248.  |j      P.      25  f. 


Chap.ii.  from  Application  of  Redemption.  299 

I.  If  we  compare  one  Scripture  with  another,  it  will 
be  diffidently  manifeit,  that  by  Regeneration,  or  being 
begotten  or  born  again{  the  lame  Change  in  the  State  of 
the  Mind  is  fignified,  with  that  which  the  Scripture  fpeaks 
of  as  effected  in  true  REPENTANCE  and  CONVER- 
SION. I  put  Repentance  and  Converfion  together,  be- 
caufe  the  Scripture  puts  them  together,  Act.  iii.  19.  and 
becaufe  they  plainly  fignify  much  the  fame  Thing.  The 
Word,  juftwoia  (Repentance)  fignifies  a  Change  of  the 
Mind ;  as  the  Word,  Converfion,  means  a  Change  or 
"Turning  from  Sin  to  God.  And  that  this  is  the  fame 
Change  with  that  which  is  called  Regeneration- (excepting 
that  this  latter  Term  efpecially  fignifies  the  Change,  as  the 
Mind  is  pa/Jive  in  it)  the  following  Things  do  fhew. 

In  the  Change  which  the  Mind  partes  under  in  Repen- 
tance and  Converfion,  is  attain'd  that  Character  of  true 
Chriftians,  which  is  neceflary  to  the  eternal  Privileges  of 
fuch.  Act  iii.  19.  Repent  ye  therefore,  an d  be  converted, 
that  your  Sins  may  be  blotted  out,  when  the  Times  of 
Refrejhing  fhall  come  from  the  Prefence  of  the  Lord 
Jefus. — And  fo  it  is  withRegeneration  ;  as  is  evident  from 
what  Chrift  fays  toNicodemus,  and  as  is  allowed  by  Dr.  Tl 
The  Change  the  Mind  partes  under  in  Repentance  and 
Converfion,  is  that  in  which  hvmgFaith  is  attained.  Mark 
i.  1 5.  The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  at  Hand,  repent  ye 
and  believe  the  Gofpel. — And  fo  it  is  with  a  being  born 
again,  or  born  of  God  ;  as  appears  by  Joh.  i.  12,  13. 
But  to  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  Power 
to  become  the  Sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  BELIEVE 
on  his  Name,  which  were  born,  not  of  Blood,  &c.  but 
of  God. 

Juft  as  Chrifl  fays  concerning  Converfion,  Matth.  xviii, 
3 .  Verily,  verily  I  fay  unto  you,  Except  ye  be  converted 
and  become  as  little  Children,  ye  fhall  not  enter  into  the 
Kingdom  of  God  :  So  does  he  fay  concerning  being  born 
again,  in  what  he  fpake  to  Nicodemus. 

By  the  Change  Men  pafs  under  in  Converfion,  they 
become  as  little  Children  ;  which  appears  in  the  Place  laft 

G  g  \  cited  * 


3G0        Proof  of  Original  Sin        Part  III. 

cited  :  And  fo  they  do  by  Regeneration,  i  Pet.  j.  at  the 
End,  and  Chap.  ii.  at  the  Beginning.  Being  born  again — ■ 
Wherefore — as  new-born  Babes,  defire — &c.  'Tis  no 
Objection,  that  the  Difciples,  whom  Chrift"  fpake  to  in 
Matth.  xviii.  3.  were  converted  already  ;  This  makes  it 
not  lefs  proper  for  Chrift  to  declare  the  Neceifity  of  Con- 
verfion to  them,  leaving  it  with  them  to  try  themfelves, 
and  to  make  lure  their  Converfion  :  In  like  Manner  aa 
he  declared  to  ?em  the  NeceiTity  of  Repentance,  in  Xr.uk. 
xiil.  3,  5,    Except  ye  repent,- ye  /ball  all  Vikewlfe  perifb. 

The  Change  that  Men  pafs  under  at  their  Repentance, 
is  exprefled  and  exhibited  by  Baptifm.  Hence  it  is  called 
the  Baptifm  of  Repentance,  fromTime  to  Time.  Matth, 
hi.  11.  LuL  iii.  3.  Aft.  xix.  4.  and  ii.  38.  AndfoisRe- 
generation  or  being  born  again  exprefs'd  byBaptifm  :  as  is 
evident  by  fuch  Reprefentations  of  Regeneration  as  thofe, 
Job.  iii.  5.    Except  a  Man  be  born  of  JVater,  and  of  the 

Spirit Tit.  iii.  5.      He  faved  us  by  the  JFafhing  of 

JRe generation. -Many  other  Things  might  be  ohferved, 

to  fliew,  that  the  Change  Men  pafs  under  in  their  Repen- 
tance and  Converfion,  is  the  fame  with  that  which  they 
are  the  Subjects  of  in  Regeneration. — But  thefe  Obferva- 
tions  may  be  fufficient, 

II.  The  Change  which  a  Man  paiTes  under  when  born 
again,  and  in  his  Repentance  and  Converfion,  is  the  fame 
that  theScripture  calls  the  CIRCUMCISION  OF  THE 
HEART. — This  may  eafily  appear  by  confidering, 

That  as  Regeneration  is  that  in  which  are  attained  the 
Habits  of  true  Virtue  and  Holinefs,  as  has  been  fhewn, 
and  as  is  confefied  ;  fo  is  Circumcifion  of  Heart.  Deut. 
xxx.  6.  And  theLord  thyGod  zvill  circumcife  thineHeart, 
and  the  Heart  of  thy  Seed,  to  love  the  Lord  thy  God, 
with  all  thine  Heart,  and  with  all  thy  Sou1. 

Regeneration  is  that  whereby  Men  come  to  have  the 
Character  of  true  Chriftians  ;  as  is  evident,  and  as  is  con- 
feded  ;  and  fo  is  Circumcifion  of  Heart  :  for  by  this  Men 
become  Jezvs  inwardly,  or  Jews  in  the  Spiritual  and 
Chriflian  Senfe  (and  that  is  the  fame  as  being  true  Chrifti- 

•  ans) 


Chap.ii.  from  /^Application  of  Redempn-  301 

cms)  as  of  old  Profelytes  were  made  Jezvs  by  Circumcifion 
of  the  Flefli.  Rom.  ii.  28,  29.  For  he  is  not  a  Jew,  which 
is  one  outwardly  ;  neither  is  that  Circumcifion,  which  is 
outward  in  the  Flejh  :  But  he  is  a  Jew,  which  is  one 
inwardly  ;  and  Circumcifion  is  that  of  the  Heart,  in  the 
Spirit  and  not  in  the  Letter,  whofe  Praife  is  not  of  Men, 
but  of  God. 

That  Circumcifion  of  the  Heart  is  the  fame  with  Con- 
verfion, or  turning  from  Sin  to  God,  is  evident  by  Jer.  iv. 
1, 4.  If  thou  wilt  return,  O  Ifrael,  return  (or,  con- 
vert) unto  me. Circumcife  yourfehes  to  the  Lord,  and 

put  azvay  the  Forefkins  of  your  Heart.  And  Deut.  x.  i-6\ 
Circumcife  therefore  the  Forejkin  of  thine  Heart,  and  be 
no  more  fliff-necked. 

Circumcifion  of  the  Heart  is  the  fame  Change  of  the 
Heart,  that  Men  pafs  under  in  their  Repentance  ;  as  is 
evident  by  Levit.  xxvi.  4.  If  t heir  uncircumcifedHeart  be 
humbled,  and  they  accept  the  Punifhment  of  their  Ini- 
quity  

The  Change  Men  pafs  under  in  Regeneration,  Repen- 
tance and  Converfion,  is  fignifled  by  Baptifm,  as  has  been 
iliewn  ;  and  fo  is'  Circumcifion  of  the  Heart  fignified  by 
the  fame  Thing.  None  will  deny,  that  it  was  this  inter- 
na ICircumcifion,  which  of  old  was  fignified  by  external  Cir- 
cumcifion ;  nor  will  any  deny,  now  under  the  new  Tefta- 
ment,  that  inward  and  fpiritual  Baptifm,  or  the  Cleanfing 
of  the  Heart,  is  fignify'd  by  external  Warning,  or  Baptifm. 
But  fpiritual  Circumcifion  and  fpiritual  Baptifm  are  the 
fame  Thing  ;  both  being  the  putting  off  the  Body  of  the 
Sins  of  the  Flejh  :  as  is  very  plain  by  Colof  ii.  11,  12, 
13.  In  whom  alfo  ye  are  circumcifed,  with  the  Circum-* 
ciiion  made  without  Hands,  in  putting  off  the  Body  of 
the  Sins  of  the  Flefli,  by  the  Circumcifion  of  Chrifl,  buried 
with  him  in  Baptifm  ;  wherein  alfo  ye  are  rifen  with 
him,  &c.  - 

III.  This   inward   Change,   called   Regeneration,  and 
Circumcifion  of  theHeart,  which  is  wrought  in  Repentance 
and  Converfion,  is  the   fame  with  that  fpiritual  RESUR- 
RECTION 


3<D2        Proof  of  Original   Sin      Part  III. 

RECTION,  fo   often  fpoken   of,  and  represented   as  a 
dying  unto  Sin,  and  living  unto  Righteoufnefs. 

This  appears  with  great  Plainnefs  in  that  laft  cited  Place, 
Col.  ii.     In  zuhom  alfo  ye  are  circumcifed  with  the  Cir- 

cumcifion  made  without  Hands buried  with  him  in 

Baptifm,  zuherein  alfo  ye  are  rifen  with  him,  through  the 
Faith  of  the  Operation  of  God,  Szc.  *And  you,  being 
dead  in  your  Sins,  and  the  Uncir  cumcifion  of  your  Flefh% 
hath  he  quicken'd  together  with  him  ;  having  forgiven 
you  all  Trefpaffes. 

The  fame  appears  by  Rom.  vi.  3,  4,  5.  Know  ye  not 
that  fo  many  of  us  as  were  baptized  into  Jefus  Chrift, 
were  baptized  into  his  Death  ?  Therefore  zue  are  buried 
with  him  by  Baptifm  into  "Death  ;  that  like  as  ChriJI 
was  raifed  up  from  the  Dead,  by  the  Glory  of  the  Father, 
even  fo  we  alfo  fhould  walk  in  Newnefs  of  Life,  &c. — 
f.  11.  Likewife  reckon  ye  alfo  yourfelves  to  be  dead  unto 
Sin,  but  alive  unto  God  through  Jefus  Chrift  our  Lord. 
In  which  Place  alfo  it  is  evident,  by  the  Words  recited, 
and  by  the  whole  Context,  that  this  fpiritual  Refurre&ion 
is  that  Change,  in  which  Perfons  are  brought  to  Habits  of 
Holinefs  &  to  the  divine  Life,  by  which  Dr.  T.  defcribes 
the  Thing  obtain'd  in  being  bom  again. 

That  a  fpiritual  Refurreclion,  to  a  new  divine  Life, 
fhould  be  called  a  being  born  again,  is  agreable  to  the 
Language  of  Scripture  ;  in  which  we  find,  a  Refurreclion 
is  called  a  being  bom  or  begotten.  So  thofe  Words  in  the 
iid  Pfalm,  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  Day  have  I  begotten 
thee,  are  applied  to  Chrift's  Refurreclion,  Aft.  xiii.  33. 
So  in  Colof  i.  1  8.  Chrift  is  called  the  firft  BORN  from 
the  Dead  ;  and  in  Rev.  i.  5.  The  fir  ft  BEGOTTEN 
from  theDead.  TheSaints,in  thexrConverfton  or  fpiritual 
Refurreclion,  are  rifen  with  Chrift,  and  are  begotten  and 
born  zvith  him.  1  Pet.  i.  3.  Which  hath  begotten  us  a- 
gain,  to  a  lively  Hope,  by  the  Refurreclion  of  Jefus  Chrift 

from  the  Dead,  to  an  Inheritance  incorruptible. This 

Inheritance  is  the  fame  Thing  with  that  KINGDOM  OF 
HEAYEN,  which  Men  obtain  by  being  born  again,  ac- 
cording 


CvApJi-Jrom  Application  ofRedemption.  303 

cording  to  Chriffs  Words  ioNicode?nus  ;  and  that  famei/7- 
heritance  of  them  that  are  fanclified,  fpoken  of  as  what  is 
obtained  in  trueCON VERSION.— Aft.xxvi.  i  8.  To  turn 
them  (or,  convert  them)  from  \Darknefs  to  Light,  and 
from  the  Power  of  Satan  unto  God,  that  they  may  re- 
ceive Forgive nefs  of  Sins,  &  Inheritance  among  them  that 
are  fan&ined,  thro'  Faith  that  is  in  me. — Dr. 7" — r'%  own 
Words,  in  his  Note  on  Rom.  i.'  4.  fpcaking  of  that  Place  in 
the  udPfa/m, ]u(i  now  mentioned,are  very  worthy  to  be  here 
recited.  He  obferves  how  this  is  applied  to  Chrifi's  Re- 
furreclion  8c  Exaltation,  in  the  New-Teftament,  and  then 
has  this  Remark,  "  Note,  Begetting  is  conferring  a  new 
"  and  happyState  :  A  Son  is  aPcrfon  put  into  it.  Agre- 
<c  ably  to  this,  goodMen  are  faid  to  be  theSons  of  God,  as 
;t  they  are  the  Sons  of  the  R.efurreclion  to  eternal  Life, 
"  which  is  reprefented  as  KuKwrncu*,  a  being  BEGOT- 
"  TEN  or  BORN  AGAIN,  REGENERATED." 

So  that  I  think  it  is  abundantly  plain,  that  thefpiritual 
Refurreclion  fpoken  of  in  Scripture,  by  which  the  Saints 
are  brought  to  a  new  divine  Life,  is  the  fame  with  that 
being  born  again,  which  Chrift  fays  is  neceffary  for  every 
one,  in  order  to  his  feeing  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

IV.  This  Change,  which  Men  are  the  Subjects  of,  when 
they  are  horn  again,  and  circumcifed  in  Heart,  when  they 
repent,  and  are  converted,  and  fpiritually  raifed  from  the 
T>ead,  is  the  fame  Change  which  is  meant  when  the 
Scripture  fpeaks  of  making  the  HEART  and  SPIRIT 
NEW,  or  giving  a  new  Heart  and  Spirit. 

'Tis  needlefs  here  to  ftand  to  obferve,  how  evidently 
this  is  fpoken  of  as  neceffary  to  Salvation,  and  as  tha 
Change  in  which  are  attained  the  Habits  of  true  Virtue 
and  Holinefs,  and  the  Character  of  a  true  Saint  ;  as  has 
been  obferved  of  Regeneration,  Converfion,  Sec.  and  how 
apparent  it  is  from  thence,  that  the  Change  is  the  fame. 
For  it  is  as  it  were  felf-evident :  'Tis  apparent  by  the 
Phrafes  themfelves,  that  they  are  different  ExpreiTions  of 
the  fame  Thing.  Thus  Repentance  (/^raio^)  or  the 
Change  of  the  Mind  is  the  fame  as  being  changed  to  a 

NEW 


2,o±  Proof  from  Applied  of  Red"-  Part  III, 

NEW  Mind,  or  new  Heart  and  Spirit.     Converjion is  the 

turning  of  the  Heart  ;  which  is  the  fame  Thing  aschang- 
ing  i.t  fo,  that  there  mall  be  another  Heart,  or  a  new  Heart, 
or  a  new  Spirit.  To  be  born  again,  is  to  be  born  ANEW  ;  " 
which  implies  a  becoming  NEW,  and  is  reprefented  as  a 
becoming  nezv-born  Babes  :  But  none  fuppofes,  it  is  the 
Body,  that  is  immediately  and  properly  new,  but  theMind, 
Heart,  or  Spirit.  And  Co  a  fpi  ritual  Refurrcclion  is  the 
RefurrecYion  of  the  Spirit,  or  riling  to  begin  a  NEW  Ex- 
iftence  and  Life,  as  to  the  Mind,  Heart  or  Spirit.  So 
that  all  thefe  Phrafes  imply  an  having  a  new  Heart,  and 
being  renezued  in  the  Spirit,  according  to  their  plain  Sig- 
nification. 

When  Nicodemus  exprefTed  his  Wonder  at  Chrift's  de- 
claring it  neceiTary,  that  a  Man  fhould  be  born  again  in 
order. to  fee  the  Kingdom  of  God,  or  enjoy  the  Privileges 
of  the  Kingdom  of  the  Mefhah,  Chrifl;  iays  to  him,  Art 
thou  a  Mafler  of  Ifrael,  and  knoivr.fl  not  thefe  things  f 
I.  e.  '  Art  thou  one  who  is  (ct  to  teacli  others,  theThings 
written  in  the  Law  and  the  Prophets,  and  knoweft  not  a 
t)oc1:rine  fo  plainly  taught  in  your  Scriptures,  that  fuch 
a  Change  as  I  fpeak  of,  is  neccfTary  to  a  partaking  of  the 
Bleilings  of  the  Kingdom  of  theMelhah'  ? — But  what  can 
Chrifl;  haveRefpeet  to-  in  this,unlefs  fuchProphecies  as  that 
in  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25,  26,  27  ?  Where  God  by  the  Prophet 
ipeaking  of  the  Days  of  the  Mefilah's  Kingdom,  fays, 
Then  will  I fpr  inkle  cleanJ^ater  upon  you, and ye  ft  all  be 

clean. A  NEJV  HEART  alfo  will  I  give  you,  and 

A  NEW  SPIRIT  will  I  put  within  you— and  I  will 
put  my  Spirit  within  you.  Here  God  fpeaks  of  having  a 
new  Heart  and  Spirit,  by  being  waflied  with  Water,  and 
receiving  the  Spirit  of  God,  as  the  Qualification  of  God's 
People,  that  fhall  enjoy  the  Privileges  of  the  Kingdom  of 
the  Mejfiah  ?  How  much  is  this  like  the  Doctrine  of 
Chrifl  to  Nicodemus,  of  being  born  again  of  Water  and 
of  the  Spirit  ?  We  have  another  like  Prophecy  in  Ezek. 
xl  1  p. 

Add 


Chap,  il  Of  putting  ojf  the  Old  Man, &c.  305 

Add  to  thefe  Things,  that  Regeneration  or  a  being  born 
again,  and  the  RENEWING  (or  making  new)  by  the 
Holy  Ghoft.,  are  fpoken  of  as  the  fame  Thing.  Tit.  iii.  if. 
By  the  JVaflring  of  Regeneration  and  Renewing  of  the 
holy  Ghoft. 

V.  ?Tis  abundantly  manifeft,  that  being  born  again,  a 
fpiritually  rifing  from  the  Dead,  to  Nezvnefs  of  Life,  re- 
ceiving a  newHeart,  &  being  renewed  in  the  Spirit  of  the 
Mind,  thefe  are  the  fame  Thing  with  that  which  is  called 
putting  off  the  OLD  MAN,  and  flitting  on  the  NEW 
MAN. 

The  Expreflions  are  equivalent  ;  and  the  Reprcfenta- 
tions  are  plainly  of  the  fame  Thing.  When  (Thrift  fpeaks 
of  being  born  again,  two  Births  are  fuppofed  j  a  fir/}  and 
wfecond  ;  an  OLD  Birth,  and  a  NEW  one  :  And  the 
Thing  born  is  called  MAN.  So,  what  is  born  in  the 
firit  Birth,  is  the  old  MAN  :  and  what  is  brought  forjih 
in  the  fecond  Birth,  is  the  new  MAN.  That  which  is 
born  in  the  firft  Birth  (faysChrifl)  is  Flefh  :  it  is  the  car- 
nal Man,  wherein  we  have  borne  the  Image  of  the  earthly 
Adam,  whom  the  Apoflle  calls  the  FIRST  MAN.  That 
which  is  born  in  the  new  Birth,  is  Spirit,  or  the  fpiritital 
and  heavenly  Man  :  wherein  we  proceed  from  Ghri'ft  the 
SECOND  MAN,  the  new  Man,  who  is  made  a  quicken- 
ing Spirit,  and  is  the  Lord  from  Heaven,  and  the  H  ad  of 
the  new  Creation. — In  the  new  Birth, Men  are  reprefented 
as  becoming  nezu-born  Babes  (as  was  obferved  before) 
which  is  the  fame  thing  as  becoming  New  Men. 

And  how  apparently  is  what  the  Scripture  fays  of  tfe 
fpiritual  Refurreclion  of  the  Chriftian  Convert,  equivalent 
and  of  the  very  fame  Import  with  putting  off  the  old  Man, 
and  putting  on  the  new  Man  ?  So  in  the  vith  of [Romans^ 
the  Convert  is  fpoken  of  as  dying  and  being  buried  with 
Chrifl  :  which  is  explained  in  the  6th  f.  by  this,  that 
tie  OLD  MAN  is  crucified,  that  the  Body  of  Siy 
might  be  de/lroyed.  And  in  the  14th  y.  Converts  in  this 
Change  are  fpoken  of  as  rifing  to  NEWNESS  of  Lfe. 
Are  not  thefe  Things  plain  enough  ?  The  Apoftle  does 
°    '  H  h     "  F 


$t>6  0ft  Old  Man,&c.PartIIi 

'.  I  '   '  ual  Death 

- 
-  Thing  as 
rid  : 

the 

-  H.  II,  12.     /« 

:  i  '  ■■■  -  •  .    .  CUMC 

PU1  TING  OFF 
:      ~  ■'    9ftbe  F.  .  C 

C 
;     •        It/SUS  namfeft 

I'Cira  md  ,  all  fig- 

:   E    l]       ■ 
Shvrft       I         .   But  :  •  :  .;    the   :^:"e  Thing,   in 
Apoftle's  L.  ;  as  ap- 

■  Rom    ■  i    :.     C      '."l: 
flfc  50-Z>}'  OF  SIN 

z-*ldMk  i    is  the  lame  with  p. 
3ic  2  -  further   by  iT         v     ::.-:• 

2+  and  9,  10. 

-  s  Dr.  "T.  that  a  t  is  "that 

ereinareol  ligion 

true  Hc!;::e:s  ";  fohowevklei  *  thing 

Change,   which  is  called  putti    ;  vfftbt 

:     .  ::.  -V  .     /  '"    J  >h    IV.  ::, 

Tift, 

---'  —  '       the  Nen   Mi  .:,   after  God,  is 

RIGHTEOUSNESS    AN*D  TRUE 
HOI  INESS. 

10ft  plain,  that  this  :    ::  ran, 

"     "    lame        ig  with       king    the    Heart 

'  :n  it  felf  :     the  Spirit  is  call- 
in  the  L  ie  of  the  Apoftle  ;  'tis  called 
.  Man.    (Re-,  vn.  22. 
r.  i".  16.   1  I  .:       4      And  therefc  e  pun  ingoffthe 

•    -  Removal  of  the  old 

H:- 


i.  Dr.  T~ r's  Confirb&ion  abfurd.  307 

Heart,  and  the  putting  on   the/aw  /Mfo)  is 

fl  >f*w  //.  ir£  am/  tf  ««y  Spirit.      Y; 

A/a  is  the  lame  T 

ing  a  »«P  Spirit,  or  fc/j  /.  Eph.  ; 

23,  14.  That  ye  put  off 

in  t  t  Spirit  9j  Und,    an 

Alan. 

From  thefe  Things  k  appe  .    unreaf  aisd 

Dr.  T*-  •    of   explai  \   Old  Man, 

ft  Man,  *  -7>- 

State,  zridb  CI     VtarfDifpenji 

tfProfeffbrs  sfCh 

I  the  Colour  he  1  lie  once 

:h  a  ww  Mw,  F 
very    true,    in    the    Scriptures,  often,    b  .'•  . 
Teib  new,  c  Nations,    Peo- 

pies,    Ciries,   are  threly     reprefent       by    ( 

cb  of  Chrift  is  reprefe 
Perfon,  and  :  parricul 

or  Believer  ;   and  lb  is  called  a    C  7^4 

Ex  .  -i.  Gal.  is*,  i,  2.  and  a  ,x]i# 

8,9.  &  xliv.i.  ThilJ 

xlv.  10,13, ij.   .  ■:.  7 — Neverthelefs.woa] 

i-afonabie,  to  argue  from  hence,tbat  fuch  Aj 

«w/  if/"  God,  a  Child  of  God,  fee,  are  ;; 

commonly  to  only  the  C\ 

eat  collective  Bodies ;  and  not  to  be 
:        in  a perfonal  Senle  J   But  yen    at  xil<l 

2  more  0  urge,   that  :  Old 

and  the  Ncq  Maq  are   moftly  ufed   in 

Scrip:u-e,   is  to  be  un  ig  butthegre:; 

le&ve  Be  lies  of  P:r  as,  c 

and  the  Chriftian  Worl  HvardVt 

H  h   : 

*  P-  425) 429- 


308  Of  being  created  a-new,  &*c.  Part  III. 

the  Difpenfation  they  are  under.  It  might  have  been 
proper,  in  this  Cafe,  to  have  confidered  the  Unreafonable- 
nefs  of  that  Practice  which  our  Author  charges  on  others, 
and  finds  fo  muchFauk  with  in  them,*  ft  That  they  con- 
"  tent  themfelves  with  *  few  Scraps  of  Scripture,  which 
"  tho  wrong  underflood,  they  make  the  Teft  of  Truth, 
"  and  the  Ground  of  their  Principles,  in  Contradiction  to 
"  the  -whole  T'enour  of  Revelation" 

VI.  I  obferve  once  more,  'Tis  very  apparent,  that  a 
being  born  again,  and  fpiritually  raifed  from  Death  to  a 
State  of  new  Exiftence  and  Life,  having  a  new  Heart 
created  in  us,  being  renezved  in  the  Spirit  of  our  Mind, 
and  being  the  Subjects  of  that  Change  by  which  we  put  off 
the  old  Man,  and  put  on  the  new  Man,  is  thefameThing 
with  that  which  in  Scripture  is  called  a  being  CREATED 
ANEW,   or  made  NEW  CREATURES." 

Here,  to  pafs  over  many  other  Evidences  of  this,  which 
might  be  mentioned,  I  would  only  obferve,  that  theRepre- 
fentations  are  exactly  equivalent.     Thefe  feveral  Phrafes 
naturally    and  molt  plainly  fignify  the  fame  Effect.     In 
the  firfl  Birth  or  Generation,  we  are  created,  or  brought 
into  Exiftence  ;   'tis  then  the  whole  Man  firft  receivesBe- 
ing:   The  Soul  is  then  formed,    and  then  our  Bodies  are 
fearfully  and  wonderfully  made,  being  curioufly  wrought 
by  our  Creator  ;  So  that  a  new-born  Child  is  a  new  Crea- 
tive.    So,when  a  Man  is  born  again,  he  is  created  again  ; 
in  that  new  Birth,  there  is  a  nezv  Creation  ;  and  therein  he 
becomes  as  a  nezv-bornBabe}ox  a  NEW  CREATURE. — 
So,  in  a  Refurreclion,   there  is  a  new  Creation.    When  a 
Man  is  dead,  that  which  was  created  or  made  in  the  firfl: 
Birth  or  Creation,   is  deflroyed  :     When  that  which  was 
dead  is  raifed  to  Life,    the  mighty  Power  of  the  Creator 
or  Author  of  Life,  is  exerted   the  fecond  Time,  and  the 
Subject  reflored  to  new  Exiftence,  and  new  Life,  as  by  a 
xe zv  Creation.     So,  giving  a  new  Heart  is  called  CREA- 
TING a  clean  Heart yPfaLH.  i  o.  Where  the  Word  tranfla- 

ted 

•"  *  P.  224. 


Chap.  ii.  All  certainly  ntz<\fuch  a  Change.  309 

ted,create,]s  the  fame  that  isufedintheflrflVerfe  inGeneJJs. 
And  when  we  read  in  Scripture  of  the  new  Creature,  the 
Creature  that  is  called  NEW,  is  MAN  ;  not  Angel,  or 
Beail,  cr  any  other  Sort  of  Creature;  and  therefore  the 
Phrafe,  Nezv  Man,  is  evidently  equipollent  with  New 
Creature  ;  and  a  putting  ofFthe  eld  Man,  and  putting  on 
the  new  Man,  is  fpoken  of  exprefly  as  brought  to  pafs  by 
a  Work  of  Creation.  Col.  iii.  9,  10.  Te  have  -put  off  the 
old  Man  — and  have  put  on  the  new  Man,  which  is  re- 
newed in  Knowledge,  after  the  Image  of  him  that 
CREATED  him.  So,  Eph.  iv.  22,23,24.  That  ye  put 
off  the  old  Man,  which  is  corrupt  fcc.  and  be  renezved  in 
the  fpirit  of  your  Mind,  and  that  ye  put  on  the  new  Alan, 
which  after  God  is  CREATET>  in  Righteoufnefs  and 
true  Holinefs. — Thefe  Things  abfolutely  fix  the  Meaning 
of  that  in  2  Cor.  v.  17.  If  any  Man  be  in  Chrifi,he  is  a 
new  Creature  :  OldThings  are  paffed  azvay  ;  behold,  all 
Things  are  become  JS'ezv. 

On  the  whole,  the  following  Reflections  may  be  made  : 

1.  That  it  is  a  Truth  of  the  nt mod  Certainty,  with 
refpecl  to  every  Man,  born  of  the  Race  of  Adam,  by  or- 
dinary Generation,  that  unlefs  he  be  born  again, he  cannot 
fee  the  Kingdom  of  God.     This  is  true,    not  only  of  the 

Heathen,  but  of  them  that  are  born  of  the  profefling 
People  of  God,  as  Nicodemus,  and  the  jfe ws,  and  every 
Man  born  of  the  Fleff.  This  is  mod  manifeft  by  Chrift's 
Difcourfe,  in  J  oh.  iii.  3, — —  1 1.  So  'tis  plain  by  2  Cor. 
v.  17.  That  every  Man  who  is  in  Chrift,  is  a  new 
Creature. 

2.  It  appears  from  this,  together  with  what  has  been 
proved  above,  that  it  is  moif  certain  with  refpect  to  every 
one  of  the  human  Race,  that  he  can  never  have  any  In- 
tereft  in  Chrifl,  or  fee  the  Kingdom  of  God,  unlefs  he  be 
the  Subject,  of  that  Change  in  the  Temper  and  Difpofiti- 
on  of  his  Heart,  which  is  made  in  Repentance,  and  Con* 
verfion,  Circumcifwn  of  Heart,  f pi  ritual  Baptifm,  dying 
to  Sin  and  rifing  to  a  new  and  holy  Life  ; — and  unlefs 
he  has  the  old  Heart  taken  away,  and  a  nezv  Heart  and 

Spirit 


3  i  cOx\g-Sm argudfr.thePremifes.  Parti II. 

Spirit  given,  and  puts  off  the  old  Man,  and  puts  on  the 
new  Man,  and  old  Things  are  pajl  away  and  all  Things 
made  new. 

3.  From  what  is  plainly  implied  in  thefe  Things/  and 
from  what  the  Scripture  moil:  clearly  tenches  of  the  Na- 
ture of  'em,  'tis  certain,  that  every  Man  is  born  into  the 
World  in  a  State  of  moral  Pollution.  For  SPIRITUAL 
BAPTISM  is  a  Cleanfmg  from  moral  Filthinefs.  Ezek. 
xxxvi.  27.  compared  with  .Acts  ii.  16.  and  Job.  in.  2  J. — 
So  the  Waffling  of  Regeneration  or  the  NEW-BIRTH, 
is  a  Change  from  a  State  of  Wickednefs.  Tit.  iii  3,4  5.— 
Men  are  fpoken  of  as  purified  in  their  Regeneration,  iPf£. 
i.  22,  23.  See  alfo  1  Job.  ii.  29.  &  iii.  1,  5. —  And  it  ap« 
pears,that  every  Man  in  his  firft  or  naturalState  is  a  Sinner : 
for  orherwife  they  would  then  need  noREPENTANCE, 
no  CONVERSION,  no  Turning  from  Sin,  to  God.— 
Audit  appears,  that  every  Man  in  his  original  State  has  a 
Heart  of  Stone  ;  for  thus  the  Scripture  calls  that  old 
Heart,  which  is  taken  away,  when  a  NEW  HEART  and 
NEW  SPIRIT  is  given.  Ezek.  xi.  19.  &  xxxvi.  26.— 
And  it  appears,  that  Man's  Nature,  as  in  his  native  State., 
is  corrupt  according  to  the  deceitful  Lufts,  and  of  it's  own 
Motion  exerts  it  felf  in  Nothing  but  wicked  Deeds.  For 
thus  the  Scripture  characlerifes  the  OLD  MAN,  which 
is  put  off,  when  Men  are  renewed  in  the  Spirit  of  their 
Minds,  and  put  on  the  NEW-MAN.  .E/^.iv.22,23,24. 
Col.  iii.  8,  9,  10. — In  a  Word,  it  appears,  that  Man's  Na- 
ture, as  in  his  native  State,  is  a  Body  of  Sin,  which  mnft 
be  deftroyed,  mud  die,  be  buried,  and  never  rife  more. 
For  thus  the  OLD  MAN  is  reprefented,  which  is  cru- 
cified, when  Men  are  the  Subjects  of  a  fpiritual  RESUR- 
RECTION. Rom.  vi.  4,  5,  6.— Such  a  Nature,  fuch  a 
Body  of  Sin  as  this,  is  put  off  in  the  fpiritual  RENOVA- 
TION, wherein  we  put  on  the  NEW  MAN,  and  are 
the  Subjects  of  the  fpiritual  CIRCUMCISION.  Eph. 
Iv.  21,  22,  23. 

It  mnft  now  be  left  with  the  Reader  to  judge  for  him- 
felf,  whether  what  the  Scripture  teaches  of  the  APPLI- 
CATION 


CATION  of  Chrift's  Redemption,  and  the  Change  of 
State  and  Nature  necefTary  to  true  and  final  Happinefs, 
don't  afford  clear  and  abundant  Evidence  to  the  Truth  of 
the  Doctrine  of  Original  Sin. 

PART     IV. 

Containing  Anfwers  to  Objections. 

Chap.     I. 
Concerning  that  Objection,  That  to  fuppofe 
Mens  being  born  in  Sin,  without  their  Choice, 
or  any  previous  All  of  their  own,  is  to  fuppofe 
what  is  inconfiftent  with  the  Nature  of  Sin, 

S<Ome  of  the  Objections,  made  againft  the  Doctrine  of 
I  original  Sin,  which  have  Reference  to  particular  Ar- 
guments ufed  inDefence  of  it,  have  been  already  confider- 
ed  in  the  handling  of  thofe  Arguments.  What  I  ftiall 
therefore  now  confider,  are  fuch  Objections  as  I  have  not 
yet  had  Occafion  to  take  any  fpecial  Notice  of. 

There  is  no  Argument  Dr.  T.  indite  more  upon,  than 
that  which  is  taken  from  theArminian  and  Pelagian  No- 
tion of  Freedom  of  Will,  confiding  in  the  Will's  Self-de- 
termination, as  necefTary  to  the  Being  of  moral  Good  or 
Evil.  He  often  urges,  that  if  we  come  into  the  World 
infected  with  finful  and  depraved  Difpofitions,  then  Sin 
mull  be  natural 'to  us  ;  and  if  natural,  then  necejjary  ;  and 
if  necefTary,  then  no  Sin,  nor  any  thing  we  are  bla'meable 
for,  or  that  can  in  any  refpect  be  our  Fault,  being  what  we 
can't  help  :  and  he  urges,  that  Sin  muff,  proceed  from  our 
own  Choice,  &c* 

Here  I  would  obferve  in  general  ,that  the  foremention'd 
Notion  of  Freedom  of  Will,  as  eflential  to  moral  Agency, 
and  necefTary  to  the  very  Exigence  of  Virtue  &  Sin,feems 

to 

*  P.  125,  128,  i2Q,  130,  .186,  187,  188,  190,  2oo?  24$,  246, 
2>h  258>  33i5  34-o>  437>  snd  other  Places, 


312    Being  born  in  Sin,  conjiftejit  Part  IV. 

to  be  a  grand  favorite  Point  with  Pelagians,  8c  Arminians, 
and  all  Divines  of  fuch  Characters,   in  their  Controverfies 
with  the  Orthodox.     There  is  no  one  thing  more  funda- 
mental in  their  Schemes  of  Religion  :   On  the  Determina- 
tion of  this  one  leading  Point  depends  the  Iihie  of  almoft 
all  Controverfies  we  have  with  fuch  Divines.      Neverthe- 
lefs,it  feemsa  needlefs  Talk  for  me  particularly  to  confider 
thatMatter  in  thisPlace ;  having  already  largely  difcufs'd  it, 
with  all  the  mainGrounds  of  thisNotion,  &  theArguments 
ufed  to  defend  it,  in  a  late  Book  on  this  Subject,  to  which 
I  afk  Leave  to  refer   the  Reader. — 'Tis  very   neceflary, 
that  the  modern  prevailing  Doclrine  concerning  this  Point, 
fliould  be  well  underftood,  and  therefore  thoroughly  con- 
fideredand  examined  :   For  without  it  there  is  no  Hope  of 
putting  an  End  to  the  Controverfy  about  original  Sin,  and 
innumerable  other  Controverfies  that  fubfift,  about  many 
of  the  main  Points  of  Religion.     1  (land  ready  to  confefs 
to  the  foremention'd  modern  Divines,  if  they  can  maintain 
their  peculiar  Notion  of  Freedom,  conGfting  in   the  felf~ 
determining  Power  cf  the  Will,   as    neceflary    to   moral 
^Agency,  &  can  thoroughly  eftablifh  it  in  OppoGtion  to  the 
Arguments  lying  againft:  it,then  they  have  an  impregnable 
Ccftle,  to  which  they  may  repair,  and  remain  invincible, 
in  all  the  Controverfies  they  have  with  the  reformed  Di- 
vines, concerning  original  Sin,  the  Sovereignty  of  Grace, 
Eleclion,  Redemption,  Converfion,  the  efficacious  Opera- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Nature  of  faving  Faith,  Per- 
feverance  of  the  Saints,  and  other  Principles  of  the  like 
Kind. — However,at  the  fameTimel  think,this  fameThing 
will  be  as  ftrong  a  Fortrefs  for   the  T>ei/ls,   in  common 
with  them  ;  as  the  great  Doc*fcrines,fubverted  by  their  No- 
tion of  Freedom,2,xt  fo  plainly  &  abundantly  taught  in  the 
Scripture.     But  I  am  under  no  Apprehenfions  of  anyDan- 
c;er,  the  Caufe  of  Chriftianity  or  the  Religion  of  the  Re- 
formed is  in,  from  any  Poflibility  of  that  Notion's  being 
ever  eftablifh ed,  or  of  it's  being  ever  evinced,  that  there  h 
not  pro  per,  perfect  &  mam? oldfDemon  ft  ration  lying  againft 
it.     But  as  I  faid,  it  would  be  needlefs  for  me  to  enter 

into 


Chap.  !.        with  the  Nature  of  Sin.         313 

into  a  particular  Difquifition  of  this  Point  here  ;  from 
which  1  fliali  eafily  be  excufed  by  any  Reader  who  is 
willing  to  give  himfelf  the  Trouble  of  confulting  what  I 
have  already  written  :  and  as  to  others,  probably  they  will 
fcarce  be  at  the  Pains  of  reading  the  prefent  Difcourfe  ; 
or  at  lead:  would  not,  if  it  fhould  be  enlarged  by  a  full 
Confideration  of  that  Controverfy. 

I  ill  all  at  this  Time  therefore  only  take  Notice  of  fome 
grofs  Tnconfiflencies,  that  Dr/Tl  has  been  guilty  of,  in  his 
handling  this  Objection  againtl  the  Doctrine  of  original  Sin. 

In  Places  which  have  been  cited  he  fays,  That  Sin 
mit  (I  proceed  from  our  own  Choke  :  and  that  if  it  does 
not,  it  being  necejfary  to  us,  it  cannot  be  Sin,  it  catft  be 
oiir  Fault,  or  zuhat  we  are  to  blame  for  :  And  therefore 
all  our  Sin  muft  be  chargeable  on  our  Choice,  which  is  the 
Caufe  of  Sin  :  For  he  fays,  The  Caufe  of  every  Effect 
is  alone  chargeable  with  the  Effecl:  it  produceth,  and 
which  proceedethfrom  it.* — Now  here  are  implied  feveral 
grofs  Contradictions.  He  greatly  infills,  that  Nothing  carl 
be  finful,  or  have  the  Nature  of  Sin,  but  what  proceeds 
from  our  Choice.  Neverthelefs,  he  fays,  Not  the  Effecl, 
but  the  Caufe  alone  is  chargeable  with  Blame.  There- 
fore the  Choice,  which  is  the  Caufe,  this  alone  is  blameable, 
or  has  the  Nature  of  Sin  ;  and  not  the  Effecl  of  that 
Choice.  Thus  Nothing  can  be  finfill,  but  the  Effect  of 
Choice  :  and  yet  theEfFect  of  Choice  never  can  be  finful,but 
only  theCtfz;/?, which  alone  is  chargeable  with  all  theBlame, 

Again,  The  Choice,  which  chufes  and  produces  Sin,  or 
from  which  Sin  proceeds  is  itfelf  i\nfi\\.  Not  only  is  this 
implied  in  his  faying,  "  The  Caufe  alone  is  chargeable 
with  ail  iheBlame  ;  "  but  he  exprefly  fpeaks  of  the  Choice 
as  faulty  ;  f  and  calls  that  Choice  wicked,  from  which 
Depravity  and  Corruption  proceeds.*  Now/if  theChoice 
it  felf  be  Sin,  and  there  be  no  Sin  but  what  proceeds  from 
a  finful  Choice,  then  the  finful  Choice  muft  proceed  from 
another  antecedent  Choice  ;  It  muft  be  chofen  by  a  fore- 
going Act    of   Will,   determining  it  fdf  to  that   finful 

I  i  Choice, 

*  r.  125,        f  **»  J9°»     ~TPi~2Q0«     See" alio  l",  210P 


314    &r'  T~r's  Arguings  from    Part  IV. 

Choice,  that  fo  it  may  have  that  which  he  fpcaks  of  as 
cbfolutely  eftential  to  the  Nature  of  Sin,  namely,  That 
it  proceed  from  our  Choice,  and  don't  happen  to  ns  ne- 
ceflarily. — But  if  the  finful  Choice  it  felf  proceeds  from 
a  foregoing  Choice,  then  alfo  that  foregoing  Choice  mud 
be  finful  ;  it  being  the  Caufe  of  Sin,  and  fo  alone  charge- 
able with  the  Blame,  let  if  that  foregoing  Choice  be 
finful,  then,  neither  mud  that  happen  to  us  neceflarily, 
but  muft  likewife  proceed  from  Choice,  another  Act  of 
Choice  preceeding  that  :  for  we  muft  remember,  that 
"  Nothing  is  (Infill,  but  what  proceeds  from  our  Choice" 
And  then,  for  the  fame  Reafon,even  this  prior  Choice,laft 
mentioned,  muft  alfo  be  finful,  being  chargeable  with  all 
the  Blame  of  that  confequent  evil  Choice,  which  was  it's 
Effect.  And  fo  we  muft  go  back  till  we  come  to  the  very 
frfl  Volition,  the  prime  or  original  A 61  of  Choice,  in  the 
whole  Chain.  And  this,  to  be  Aire,  muft  be  a  finful 
Choice,  becaufe  this  is  the  Origin  or  primitive  Caufe  of 
all  the  Train  of  Evils  which  follow  ;  and  according  to 
our  Author,  muft  therefore  be  "  alone  chargeable  with  ail 
theBIame."  And  yet  fo  it  is,  according  to  him,  this  "  can- 
not be  finful,"  becaufe  it  don't  "  proceed  from  our  own 
Choice,"  or  any  foregoing  Act  of  our  Will  ;  it  being,  by 
the  Suppofkion,  the  very  fir Jl  Act  of  Will  in  the  Cafe. 
And  therefore  it  muft  be.  necejfary,  as  to  us,  having  no 
Choice  of  ours  to  be  the  Caufe  of  it. 

In  Page  232,  he  fays,  "  ^Adam's  Sin  was  from  his  own 
"  difobedient  Will  \  and  fo  muft  every  Man's  Sin,  and 
"  all  the  Sin  in  the  World,  as  well  as  his." — By  this,  it 
feems,  he  muft  have  a  "  difobedient  Will"  before  he  fins ; 
for  the  Caufe  muft  be  before  the  Effect :  and  yet  that  dif- 
obedient "Will  itfelf  \%  finful  -f  otherwife  it  could  not  be 
called  difobedient.  But  the  Queftion  is,  How  do  Men 
come  by  the  difobedient  Will,  this  Caufe  of  all  the  Sin 
in  the  World  ?  It  muft  not  come  necejfarily,  without 
Men's  Choice  :  for  if  fo,  'tis  not  Sin,  nor  is  there  any 
T>ifobedience  in  it.  Therefore  that  difobedient  Will  mult 
alfo  come  from  a  difobedient  Will  j  and  fo  on,  in  infinitum. 

Otherwife, 


Chap.  I.  the  Nature  of  Sin,  inconfiftent.  315 

Otherwife,  it  mud  be  fuppofed,  that  there  is  fbme  Sin 
in  the  World,  which  don't  come  from  a  difobedient  Will \ 
contrary  to  our  Authors  dogmatical  Aflertioris. 

In  P.  442.  He  fays,  u  Adam  could  not  fin  without  a 
finful  Inclination?'— -Here  he  calls  that  Inclination  it  felf 
finful  y  which  is  the  Principle  from  whence  finful  Acts  pro- 
ceed ;  as  elfewhere  he  fpeaks  of  the  difobedient  Willy 
from  whence  all  Sin  comes  :  And  he  allows,*  that  "  the 
*'  Law  reaches  to  all  the  latent  Principles  of  Sin  ;"  mean- 
ing plainly,  that  it  forbids,  and  threatens  Punifbment  for 
thofe  latent  Principles.  Now  thefe  latent  Principles  of 
.  Sin,  thefe  finful  Inclinations,  without  which,  according  to 
our  Author,  there  can  be  no  finful  Aft,  can't  all  proceed 
from  a  finful  Choice  ;  becaufe  that  would  imply  great 
Contradiction.  For,  by  the  Suppofition,  they  are  the 
Principles  from  whence  a  finful  Choice  comes,and  whence 
ail  finful  Acts  of  Will  proceed  ;  and  there  can  be  no  fin- 
ful Act  without  'em.  So  that  the  firfl  latent  Principles, 
and  Inclinations,  from  whence  all  finful  Acts  proceed,  are 
fmful  ;  and  yet  they  are  not  finful,  becaufe  they  don't 
proceed  from  a  wicked  Choice,  without  which,  according 
to  him,  "  Nothing  can  be  finful." 

Dr.  T.  fpeaking  of  that  Proportion  of  the  Ajfembly  of 
Divines,  wherein  they  afTert,  that  Man  is  by  Nature  ut- 
terly corrupt,  &c.  f  thinks  himfeif  well  warranted  by  the 
fuppofed  great  Evidence  of  thefe  his  contradictory  Noti- 
ons, to  fay,  "  Therefore  Sin  is  not  natural  to  us  ;  and 
"  therefore  I  mail  not  fcruple  to  fay,  this  Proportion  in 
"  the  Affembly  of  "Divines  is  FALSE."^-But  it  maybe 
worthy  to  be  confidered.  whether  it  would  not  have  great, 
ly  become  him,  before  he  had  cloathed  himfeif  witb  fo 
much  Aflurartce  and  proceeded,  on  the  Foundation  ^of 
thefe  his  Notions,  fomagifterially  to  charge  the  Ajfembly  s 
Propofition  with  Falfliood,  to  have  taken  Care,  that  his 
own  Proportions,  which  he  has  fet  in  Oppofition  to  them, 
fhould  be  a  little  more  confiftent  ;  that  he  might  not  have 

I  i   2  contradicted 


*  Contents  ofRom.Chap.vii.inNotes  on  theEpiltie.     |  i\  12c. 


3 1 6    Original  Sin  does  not  imply  Part  IV. 

contradicted  him/elf,  while  contradicting  them  ;  led:  fome 
impartial  Judges,  obferving  hislnconfiftence,  mould  think 
they  had  Warrant  to  declare  with  equal  AfTurance,  that 
iC  They  fhall  not  fcruple  to  fay,  Dr.  T—  ;'s  Doctrine  is 
"  FALSE." 


Chap.  II, 
Concerning  that  Objetlicn  againft  the  Doclrine  of 
native  Corruption,  That  to  fuppofe  Men  re- 
ceive their  fir fl  Exiflcnce  in  Sin,  is  to  make  Him 
who  is  the  Author  of  their  Being,  the  Author  of 
their  Depravity. 

ONE  Argument  again!!  Men's  being  fuppofed  to  be 
born  with  finful  Depravity,  which  Dr.  eT.  greatly 
infills  upon,  is,  "  That  this  does  in  ErTecT:  charge  Hirri 
who  is  the  .Author  of  our  Nature,  who  formed  us  in  the 
Womb,  with  being  the  Author  of  a  finful  Corruption  of 
Nature  ;  and  that  it  is  highly  injurious  to  the  God  of  cur 
Nature,  ivhofe  Hands  have  for  tried  and  fafhioned  us,  to 
believe  our  Nature  to  be  originally  corrupted,  and  thai 
in  the  word  Senfe  of  Corruption"* 

With  refpecr.  to  this,  I  would  bbferve  in  the  nr(l  Place, 
that  this  Writer,  in  his  handling  this  grand  Objection,  flip- 
pofes  fomething  to  belong  to  the  Doctrine  objected  againft, 
as  maintained  by  the  Divines  whom  he  is  opnofmg,  which 
does  not  belong  to  it,  nor  decs  follow  from  it  :  As  parti- 
cularly, he  fuppofes  the  Doclrine  of  original  Sin  to  imply, 
that  Nature  mufl  be  corrupted  by  fome  pofitive  Influence  ;' 
u  fomething,  by  fome  Means  or  other,  infufed  into  the 
**  human  Nature  ;  fome  Qjtaiity  or  other,  not  from  the 
*s  Choice  of  our  Minds,  but  like  a  "Taint,  Tinclure,  or 
"  Infefiion, altering  the  naturalConftitutiomFacultics&Dif- 
*c  pofitions  of  our  Souls.f     That  Sin  and  evil  Difpofitions 

are 


*'  P.  137.  187,  188,  189,  256,  258,  260,  419,  424,  and  other 
Places.  f  P.    187. 


Chap.  ii.  God's  being  the  Author  of  Sin.  3  1 7 

"  -are  IMPLj4NTE*D  in  the  Foetus  in  the  Womb."*-** 

Whereas  truly  our  Doflrine  neither  implies  nor  infers  any. 
fuch  Thing.  In  order  to  account  for  a  finful  Corruption 
of  Nature,  yea,  a  total  native  Depravity  of  the  Heart  of 
Man,  there  is  not  the  lead  Need  of  fuppoflng  any  evil 
Quality  infufed,  implanted,  or  wrought  into  theNature  of 
!Man,  by  any pofitive  Caufe,  orlnfluence  whatfoever,  either 
from  God,  or  the  Creature  ;  or  of  fuppofing,  that  Man  is 
conceived  and  born  with  a  Fountain  of  Evil  in  his  Heart, 
fuch  as  is  any  thing  properly  tofitive.  I  think,  a  little 
Attention  to  the  Nature  of  Things  will  be  fufficient  to 
fatisfy  any  impartial  confederate  Inquirer,  that  the  Abfence 
of  pofitive  good  Principles,  and  fo  the  Withholding  of  a 
fpecial  divine  Influence  to  impart  and  maintain  thofe  good 
Principles,  leaving  the  common  natural  Principles  of  Self- 
love,  natural  Appetite,  &'c.  (which  were  in  Man  in  Inno- 
cence) leaving  thefe,  I  fay,  to  themfelves,  without  the 
Government  of  fuperiour  divine  Principles,  will  certainly 
be  followed  with  the  Corruption,  yea,  the  total  Corrup- 
tion of  the  Heart,  without  Occafion  for  any  pofitive  In- 
fluence at  all  :  And,  that  it  was  thus  indeed  that  Corrup- 
tion of  Nature  came  on  \Adam,  immediately  on  his  Fall, 
and  comes  on  ail  his  Pofterity,  as  finning  in  him  and  falling 
with  him. 

The  Cafe  with  Man  was  plainly  this :  When  God  made 
Man  at  firfr,  he  implanted  in  him  two  Kinds  of  Princi- 
ples. There  was  an  inferioar  Kind,  which  may  be  called 
NATURAL,  being  the  Principles  of  meer  human  Nature  ; 
fuch  as  Self-love,  with  thofe  natural  Appetites  &  PaflTons, 
which  belong  to  the  Nature  of  Man,  in  which  his  Love 
to  his  own  Liberty,  Honour  and  Pleafure,  were  exer- 
cifed  :  Thefe  when  alone,  and  left  to  themfelves,  are 
what  the  Scriptures  fometimes  call  FLESH.  Betides 
thefe,  there  were  fuperiour  Principles,  that  were  fpiritual, 
holy  and  divine  fummarily  comprehended  in  divine  Love  ; 
wherein  confided  the  fpiritual    mage  of  God,   and  Man's 

Righteonfncfs 

*  l\  146,  424,  425,  and  the  like  in  many  other  Places. 


3  1 8    Original  Sin  does  not  imply    Part  IV, 

Righteoufnefs  and  true  Holinefs  ;  which    are   called    in 
Scripture  the  'Divine  Nature.      Thefe   Principles   may, 
in  fome  Senfe,  be  called  SUPERNATURAL,  *  being 
(however  concreated  or  connate,  yet)  fuch   as    are  above 
thofe  Principles  that  are  efientially  implied  in,  or  necefla- 
rily  reful ting  from,  and  infeperably  connected  with,    meer 
human  Nature  ;  and  being  fuch  as  immediately  depend  on 
Man's  Union  and  Communion  with  God,  or  Divine  Com- 
munications and  Influences  of  God's  Spirit  :     Which  tho 
withdrawn,  and  Man  s  Nature  forfaken  of  thefe  Principles, 
human  Nature  would  be  human  Nature  dill;  Mans    Na- 
ture, as  fuch, being  intire  without  thefe  Divine  Principles  ; 
which  the   Scripture  fometimes  calls  SPIRIT,  in  Contra- 
diflin&ion  to  Flefa.     Thefe  fuperiour  Principles  were  gi- 
ven to  pofFefs  the  Throne,  and  maintain  an  abfolute  Do- 
minion in  the  Heart  :   the  other,    to   be  wholly    fubordi- 
^r>ate  and  fabfervient.    And  while  Things  continued  thus, 
all  Things  were  in  excellent  Order,  Peace  and  beautiful 
Harmony,  and  in  their  proper  and  perfect  State.     Thefe 
divine  Principles  thus  reigning,  were   the   Dignity,  Life, 
Happinefs,  and  Glory  of  Man'sNature. — WhenMan  fin'd, 

and 

*  To  prevent  all  Cavils,  the  Reader  is  defired   particularly  to 
obferve,  in  what  Senfe  I  here  ufe   the  Words,  Natural 'and 

Supernatural : Not  as  Epithets  of  Diftinction  between  that 

which  is  Concreated  or  Connate,  and  that  which  is  extra- 
ordinarily introduced  afterwards,  befides  the  firft  State  of 
Thing?,  or  the  Order  eftabliihed  originally,  beginning  when 
Man's  Nature  began  ;— but  as  diftinguifhing  between  what 
belongs  to,  or  flows  from,  that  Nature  whichMan  has,  meerly 
as  Man,  and  thofe  things  which  are  above  this, --by  which 
one  is  denominated,  not  only  a  Man,  but  a  truly  virtuous^ 
holy,  zndfpiriiual  Man  ;  which,  tho'  they  began,  in  Adam, 
as  foon  as  Humanity  began,  and  are  neceffary  to  the  Per- 
fection and  Well-being  of  the  human  Nature,  yet  are  not 
effential  to  the  Conftitution  of  it,  or  neceffary  to  it's  Being  : 
inafmuch  as  one  may  have  every  Thing  needful  to  his  being 

Man,  exclufively  of  them. If  in  thus  ufing    the  Words, 

Natural  and  Supernatural,  I  ufe  them  in  an  uncommon  Senfe, 
'tis  not  from  any  AfFeaation  of  Singularity,  but  for  Wartf 
of  other  Terms,  more  aptly  to  exprefs  my  Meaning, 


Chap.  ii.  God's  being  the  Author  of  Sin.   3  1  9 

and  broke  God's  Covenant,  and  fell  under  his  Curfe,thefe 
fuperiour  Principles  left  his  Heart  :  for  indeed  God  then 
left  him  ;  that  Communion  with  God,  on  which  thefe 
Principles  depended,  intirely  ceafed  ;  the  Holy  Spirit,that 
divine  Inhabitant,  forfook  the  Houfe.  Becaufe  it  would 
have  been  utterly  improper  in  it  felf,  and  inconfiff  ent  with 
theCovenant  &  Conftitution  God  had  eilablifhed,  thatGod 
fhould  (till  maintain  Communion  with  Man,  and  continue, 
by  his  friendly,  gracious  vital  Influences,  to  dwell  with 
him  and  in  him,  after  he  was  become  a  Rebel,  and  had 
incur'd  God's  Wrath  and  Curfe.  Therefore  immediately 
the  fuperiour  divine  Principles  wholly  ceafed ;  lb  Light 
ceafes  in  a  Room, when  theCandle  is  withdrawn  :  and  thus 
Man  was  left  in  a  State  of  Darknefs,  woful  Corruption  and 
Ruin  ;  Nothing  but  Flejh,  without  Spirit.  The  inferiour 
Principles  of  Self-love  and  natural  Appetite,  which  were 
given  only  to  ferve,  being  alone,  &  left  to  themfelves,  of 
Courfe  became  reigning  Principles  ;  having  no  fuperiour 
Principles  to  regulate  or  controul  them,  they  became  ab- 
folute  Mailers  of  the  Heart.  The  immediate  Confe- 
quence  of  which  v/as  a  fatal  Catajlrophe,  a  turning  of 
all  Things  upfide  down,  and  the  SuccefTion  of  a  State  of 
the  moft  odious  &  dreadful  Confufion.  Man  did  immedi- 
ately fet  up  bimfelf,  and  the  Objects  of  his  private  Affecti- 
ons and  Appetites,  as  fupream  ;  and  fo  they  took  the 
Place  of  GOD.— -Thefe  inferiour  Principles  are  like  Fire 
in  an  Houfe  ;  which,  we  fay,  is  a  good  Servant,  but  a  bad 
Mailer  ;  very  ufeful  while  kept  in  it's  Place,  but  if  left 
to  take  PofTeiTion  of  the  whole  Houfe,  foon  brings  all  to 
DeflrucYion.  Man's  Love  to  his  own  Honour,  feparate 
Interefl,  and  private  Pleafure,  which  before  was  wholly 
fubordinate  unto  Love  to  God  &  Regard  to  his  Authority 
and  Glory,  now  difpofe  and  impel  Man  to  purfue  thofe 
Objects,  without  Regard  to  God's  Honour,  or  Law  ;  be- 
caufe there  is  no  true  Regard  to  thefe  divine  Things  left 
in  him.  In  Confequence  of  which,  he  feeks  thofe  Objects 
as  much  when  againft  God's  Honour  and  Law,  as  when 
agreable  to  'em.     And  God  flill  continuing  flriclly  to 

require 


1 


3  20   Original  Sin  does  not  imply   Part  IV. 

require  fupream  Regard  to  himfelf,  and  forbidding  all 
Gratifications  of  tbefe  inferiour  Paflions,  but  only  in  per- 
fectSubordination  to  theEnds,  8c  Agrcablenefs  to  theRules 
and  Limits,  which  his  Holinefs,  Honour  &  Law  prefcribe* 
hence  immediately  arifes  Enmity  in  the  Heart,  now  wholly 
under  the  Power  of  Self  love  ;  and  Nothing  but  War 
x  enfues,  in  a  conftant  Courfe,  againfl  God.  As,  when  a 
Subject  has  once  renounced  his  lawful  Sovereign,  and  fet 
up  a  Pretender  in  his  Stead,  a  State  of  Enmity  and  War 
againft  his  rightful  King  neceilarily  enfues. — It  were  eafy 
to  fliev/,  how  every  Lull  &  depraved  Difpofition  of  Man's 
Heart  would  naturally  arife  from  this  'privative  Original, 
if  here  were  Room  for  it.  Thus  'tis  eafy  to  give  an  Ac- 
count, how  total  Corruption  of  Heart  fhould  follow  on 
Man's  eating  the  forbidden  Fruit,  tho  that  was  but  one 
Acl  of  Sin,  without  God's  patting  any  Evil  into  his 
Heart,  or  implanting  any  bad  Principle,  or  infufing  any 
corrupt  Taint,  and  i'o  becoming  the  Author  of  Depravity. 
Only  God's  withdrawing,  as  it  was  highly  proper  and 
necedary  that  he  fhould,  from  Rebel-Man,  being  as  it 
were  driven  away  by  his  abominable  Wicked nefs,  and 
Men's  natural  Principles  being  left  to  ihemfehes,  this  is 
fufficient  to  account  for  his  becoming  intirely  corrupt,  and 
bent  on  (inning  againfl  God. 

And  zsAdam's  Nature  became  corrupt,  without  God's 
implanting  or  infufing  any  evil  Thing  into  his  Nature; 
fo  does  the  Nature  of  his  Pofterity.  God  dealing  with 
yddam  as  the  Head  of  his  Pofterity  (as  has  been  fhewn) 
and  treating  them  as  One,  he  deals  with  his  Pofterity  as 
having  all  finned  in  him.  And  therefore,  as  God  with- 
drew fpiritual  Communion  and  his  vital  gracious  Influ- 
ence from  the  common  Head,  fo  he  withholds  the  fame 
from  all  theMembers,  as  they  come  into  Exiftence  ;  where- 
by they  come  into  the  World  meer  Flefb,  and  entirely 
under  theGovernment  of  natural  and  inferiour  Principles  j 
and  fo  become  wholly  corrupt,  as  Adam  did. 

Now,  for  God  fo  far  to  have  theDifpofal  of  this  Affair, 
as  to  zi'iih-hold  thofe  Influences,  without  which  Nature 

will 


Chap.  II.  God's  being  the  Author  of  Sin.   321 

will  be  corrupt,  is  not  to  be  the  Author  of  Sin. — But,  con- 
cerning this,  I  muft  refer  the  Reader  to  what  I  have  faid 
of  it  in  my  Difcourfe  on  the  Freedom  of  the  Will*  Tho, 
befides  what  I  have  there  faid,  I  may  here  obferve  ;  That 
if  for  God  fo  far  to  order  and  difpofe  the  Being  of  Sin, 
as  to  permit  it,  by  with- holding  the  gracious  Influences 
necefTary  to  prevent  it,  is  for  him  to  be  the  Author  of  Sin, 
then  fome  Things  which  Dr.  T.  himfelf  lays  down,  will 
equally  be  attended  with  this  very  Confequence.  For, 
from  Time  to  Time,  he  fpeaks  of  God's  giving  Men  up 
to  the  vileft  Lufts  andAfFe&ions,  by  permitting,  or  leaving 
them,  f  Now,  if  the  Continuance  of  Sin,  and  it's  Increafe 
and  Prevalence,  may  be  in  Confequence  of  God's  Difpofal, 
by  with-holding  his  Grace,  that  is  needful,  under  fuchCir- 
cumftances,  to  prevent  it,  without  God's  being  the  Author 
of  that  Continuance  &  Prevalence  of  Sin  ;  then,  by  Parity 
of  Reafon,  may  the  Being  of  Sin,  in  the  Race  of  Adam, 
be  inConfequence  of  God's  Difpofal,  by  with-holding  his 
Grace,  needful  to  prevent  it,  without  his  being  the  Author 
of  that  Being  of  Sin. 

If  here  it  fhould  be  faid,  that  God  is  not  theAuthor  of 
Sin,  in  giving  Men  up  to  Sin,  who  have  already  made 
themfelves  (Inful,  becaufe  when  Men  have  once  made 
themfelves  finful,  their  continuing  fo,  and  Sin's  prevail- 
ing in  them,  and  becoming  more  and  more  habitual,  will 
follow  in  a  Cowfe  of  Nature  : — I  anfwer,  Let  that  be 
remember'd,  which  this  Writer  fo  greatly  urges,  in  Op- 
pofition  to  them  that  fuppofe  original  Corruption  comes 
in  a  Courfe  of  Nature,  viz.  That  the  Cowfe  of  Na- 
ture is  Nothing  without  God.  He  utterly  rejects  tha 
Notion  of  the  "Courfe  of  Nature's  being  a  proper  AcYrve 
"■  Caufe,  which  will  work,  and  go  on  by  it  felf,  without 
«  Godtf  he  lets  or  permits  it."  But  affirms,  "  That  the 
"   Courfe  of  Nature,   feparate  from  the  Agency  of  God, 

K  k  "is 

*  Part  iv.  Sea.  9.  P.  25;,  &c.  t  Ke\  §.  356.  and  Par, 
on  Rom.  i.  24,  26.  ||  P.  410.  See  alio  mtix  wnai  Ve- 
hemence this  is  urged  in  P,  413. 


322  Original  Sin  does  not  imply   Part  IV, 

"  is  no  Caufe,  or  Nothing  ;  and  that  the  Courfe  of  Na° 
"  ture  fhould  continue  it  felf,  or  go  on  to  operate  by  it  felf", 
*'  any  more  than  at  firft  produce  it  felf,  is  abfolutely  im- 
"  poJfible"\\  Thefe  ftrong  Expredions  are  his.  There- 
fore, to  explain  the  Continuance  of  the  Habits  of  Sin  in 
the  fame  Perfon,  when  once  introduced,yea,  to  explain  the 
very  Being  of  any  fuchHabits,  in  Confequence  of  repeat- 
ed Acts,  our  Author  mud  have  Recourfe  to  thofe  fame 
Principles,  which  he  rejects  as  abfurd  to  the  utmoflDegree, 
when  alledged  to  explain  the  Corruption  of  Nature  in  the 
Poflerity  of  Adam.  For,  thatHabits,  either  good  or  bad, 
fhould  continue  after  being  once  eftablifhed,  or  that  Ha- 
bits fliould  be  fettled  and  have  Exiftence,  in  Confequence 
of  repeated  Acts,  can  be  owing  only  to  a  Courfe  of  Na- 
ture,and.  ihokLaws  of  Nature  which  God  has  eftablifhed. 
That  the  Poflerity  of  Adam  fliould  be  born  without 
Holinefs,  and  fo  with  a  depraved  Nature,  comes  to  pafs 
as  much  by  the  eftablifhed  Courfe  of  Nature,  as  the  Con- 
tinuance of  a  corrupt  Difpofition  in  a  particular  Perfon, 
after  he  once  has  it  ;  or  as  much  as  A  dam's  continuing  un- 
holy and  corrupt,  after  he  had  once  loft  his  Holinefs.  For 
Adam's  Poflerity  are  from  Him,  and  as  it  were  in  him,and 
belonging  to  him, according  to  an  eftablifhed  Courfe  of  Na- 
ture,as  much  as  the  Branches  of  a  Tree  are,  according  to  a 
Courfe  of  Nature, from  theTree,in  thcTree,&  belonging  to 
theTree  ;  or  (to  makeufe  of  the  Comparifon  whichDr.T^. 
himfelf  chufes  and  makes  ufe  of  from  Time  to  Time,  as 
proper  to  illuftrate  theMatter  *)  juft  as  the  Acorn  is  de- 
rived from  tbeOak.  And  1  think,  the  Acorn  is  as  much 
derived  from  the  Oak,  according  to  the  Courfe  of  Nature, 
as  the  Buds  and  Branches.  'Tis  true,  that  God,  by  his 
own  almighty  Power,  creates  the  Soul  of  the  Infant  ;  and 
'tis  alfo  true,  as  Dr.  <T.  often  infifts,  that  God,  by  his  im- 
mediate Power,  forms  and  fufliions  the  Body  of  the  Infant 
in  the  Womb  ;  yet  he  does  both  according  to  that  Courfe 
of  Nature,  which  he  has  been  pleafed  to  eftabliih.     The 

Courfe 

*  P.  146,  187. 


Chap. II.  God's  being  the  Author  of  Sin.  323 

Courfe  of  Nature  is  demonftrated,  by  late  Improvements 
in  Philofophy,  to  be  indeed  what  our  Author  himfelf  fays 
k    is,  viz.   Nothing    but  the   eilabliihed   Order  of    the 
Agency     and    Operation    of  the    Author     of  Nature. 
And  tho  there  be  the  immediate  Agency  of  God  in  bring- 
ing the  Soul  into  Exigence  in   Generation,  yet   'tis  done 
sccording    to   the    Method    and    Order    eftablifhed    by 
the  Author  of  Nature,  as  much  as  his  producing  the  Bud, 
or  the  Acorn  of  the  Oak  ;  and  as  much  as  his  continuing 
a  particular  Perfon  in  Being,  after  he  once  has  Exiftence. 
God's  immediate  Agency   in  bringing  the  Soul  of  a  Child 
into  Being,  is  as  much  according  to  an  eftabiiftjed  Order, 
as  his  immediate  Agency  in  any  of  the  Works  of  Nature 
whatfoever.     'Tis  agreable  to  the  eftablifhed  Order  of 
Nature,  that    the  good  Qualities  wanting  in  the   T'ree, 
iliould  alfo  be  wanting  in  the  Branches  and  Fruit.     'Tis 
agreable  to  the  Order  of  Nature,  that  when  a  particular 
Perfon  is  without  good  moral  Qualities  in  his  Heart,  he 
fhould  continue  without    'em,   till  fome  new   Caufe  or 
Efficiency  produces  them  :  And  'tis  as  much  agreable  to 
an  eftablifhed  Courfe  and  Order  of  Nature,   that  fince 
Adam,  the  Head  of  the  Race  of  Mankind,  the  Root  of 
that  great  Tree   with  many  Branches  fpringing  from  ir, 
was  deprived  of  original  Righteoufnefs,  theBranches  iliould 
come  forth  without  it.     Or,  if  any  diflike  the  Word,  Na- 
ture, as  ufed  in  this   lad  Cafe,  and  in  Stead  of  it  chufe  to 
call  it  a  Conftitution^  or  eftablifljed  Order   of  fuccelTive 
Events,  the  Alteration  of  the  Name  won't  in  the  leaft  al- 
ter the  State  of  the  prefent  Argument.    Where  the  Name, 
Nature,  is  allowed  withoutDifpute,  no  more  is  meant  than 
an  eftablifhed  Method  and  Order  of  Events,  fettled  ancj, 
limited  by  divine  Wifdom. 

If  any  iliould  object,  to  this,  That  if  the  Want  of  ori- 
ginal Righteoufnefs  be  thus  according  to  an  eftabliihed 
Courfe  of  Nature,  then  why  are  not  Principles  of  Holi- 
nefs,  when  reftored  by  divine  Grace,  alfo  communicated 
vQ  Pofterity  ?  I  anfwer,  The  divine  Laws  and  Eftablifii- 

K  k  2  menq 


324    Original  Sin  does  not  imply  Part  IV. 

ments  of  the  Author  of  Nature  are  precifely  fettled  by 
him,  as  he  pleafeth,  and  limited  by  his  Wifdom.  —  Grace 
is  introduced  among  the  Race  of  Mankind  by  a  new 
JLftabliJbment  ;  not  on  the  Foot  of  the  original  Eftabliili- 
ment  of  God,  as  the  Head  of  the  natural  Worlo*,and  Au- 
thor of  the  firft  Creation  ;  but  by  a  Conftitution  of  a  vaft- 
ly  higher  Kind  ;  wherein  Chrift  is  made  the  Root  of  the 
Tree,  whofe  Branches  are  his  fpiritual  Seed,  and  He  is 
the  Head  of  the  new  Creation  ;  of  which  I  need  not 
ftand  now  to  fpeak  particularly. 

But  here  I  deflre  it  may  be  noted,  that  I  don't  fuppofe, 
the  natural  Depravity  of  the  Pofterity  of  Adam  is  owing 
to  the  Courfe  of  Nature  only  ;  'tis  alfo  owing  to  the  juft 
Judgment  of  God.  But  yet  I  think,  it  is  as  truly,  and 
in  the  fame  Manner,  owing  to  the  Courfe  of  Nature,  that 
•Adanfs  Pofterity  come  into  the  World  without  original 
Righteoufnefs,  as  that  Adam  continued  without  it,  after 
he  had  once  loft  it. — That  Adam  continued  deftitute  of 
Holinefs,  when  he  had  loft  it,  and  would  always  have  fo 
continued,  had  it  not  been  reftored  by  a  Redeemer,  was 
not  only  a  natural  Confequemce,  according  to  the  Courfe 
of  Things  eftablifhed  by  God,  as  the  Author  of  Nature  ; 
but  it  was  alfo  a  penal  Confequence,  or  a  Punifhment  of 
his  Sin.  God,  in  xigjiMzowsJudgment ,  continued  to  abfent 
himfelf  from  Adam,  after  he  became  a  Rebel  ;  and  with- 
held from  him  now  thofelnfluences  of  the  holySpirit,which 
he  before  had.  And  juft  thus,  I  ftippofe  it  to  be  with  every 
natural  Branch  of  Mankind  :  all  are  looked  upon  as  fin- 
ning in  and  with  their  common  Root ;  and  God  righteouily 
with-holds  fpecial  Influences  8c  fpiritual  Communications 
from  all,  for  this  Sin. — But  of  the  Manner  and  Order  of 
thefe  Things,  more  may  be  faid  in  the  next  Chapter. 

On  the  whole,  this  grand  Objection  againft  theDocVine 
of  Men's  being  born  corrupt,  That  it  makes  Him  who 
(rave  us  our  Being,  to  be  the  Caufe  of  the  Being  of  Cor- 
ruption, can  have  no  more  Force  in  it,  than  a  like  Argu- 
ment has  to  prove,  that  if  Men  by  a  Courfe  of  Nature 
continue  Wicked,  or  remain  without  Goodnefs,  after  they 

have 


Chap.  ii.  God's  being  the  Author  of  Sin.  325 

have  by  vicious  Acls  contracted  viciousHabits,and  fo  made 
themfelves  wicked,  it  makes  Him  who  is  the  Caufe  of  their 
Continuance  in  Being,  and  the  Caufe  of  the  Continuance 
of  the  Courfe  of  Nature,  to  be  the  Caufe  of  their  conti- 
nued Wickednefs.  Dr.  T .  fays,  *  "God  would  not  make 
"  any  thing  that  is  hateful  to  him  ;  becaufe,  by  the  very 
"  Terms,  He  would  hate  to  make  fuch  a  Thing."  But  if 
this  be  good  arguing  in  the  Cafe  to  which  it  is  applied, 
may  I  not  as  well  fay,  God  would  not  continue  a  Thing 
in  Being  that  is  hateful  to  him  ;  becaufe,  by  the  very 
Terms,  he  would  hate  to  continuey^/?  a  Thing  in  Being  ? 
I  think,  the  very  Terms  do  as  much  (and  no  more)  infer 
one  of  thefe  Propofitions,  as  the  other. — In  like  Manner, 
the  reft  that  he  fays  on  thatHead,  may  be  fhewn  to  be  un- 
reasonable, by  only  fubftituting  the  Word,  continue,  in  the 
Place  of,  make  and  propagate.  I  may  fairly  imitate  his 
way  of  Reafoning,  thus  :  "To  fay,  God  continues  us 
"  according  to  his  own  original  Decree,  or  Law  of  Continu- 
"  at/on,  which  obliges  him  to  continue  us  in  a  Manner  he 
"  abhors,  is  really  to  make  bad  worfe  :  for  it  is  fuppofing 
"  him  to  be  defective  in  Wifdom,  or  by  his  own  Decree 
'*  or  Law  to  lay  fuch  a  Conftraint  upon  his  own  A6U- 
"  ons,  that  he  cannot  do  what  he  would  ;  but  is  continu- 
u  ally  doing  what  he  would  not,  what  he  hates  to  do,  and 
u  what  he  condemns  in  us  ;  viz.  continuing  us  finful,when 
"  he  condemns  us  for  continuing  our  felves  finful." — 
If  the  Reafoning  be  weak  in  the  one  Cafe,  it's  no  lefs  fo 
in  the  other. 

If  any  fhall  (till  infift,  That  there  is  a  Difference,  be- 
tween God's  fo  difpofing  Things  as  that  Depravity  of 
Heart  fhall  be  continued,  according  to  the  fettled  Courfe 
of  Nature,  in  the  fame  Perfon,  who  has  by  his  own  Fault 
introduced  it, — and  his  fo  difpofing.  as  that  Men,  accord- 
ing to  a  Courfe  of  Nature,  ihould  be  born  with  Depra- 
vity, inConfequence  of  ddanfs  introducingSin,  by  hisA£r, 
which  we  had  no  Concern  in,  and  cannot  be  juftly  charged 

with  : 

*  P.  412. 


n 


26    Imputation  0/"  Adam's  Sin,  Part  IV. 

with  :  On  this  I  would  obferve,  that  it  is  quite  going  off 
the  Objection,  which  we  have  been  upon,  from  God's 
Agency,  and  flying  to  another.  Jt  is  then  no  longer  in- 
filled on,  that  fimply  for  him,  from  whofe  Agency  the 
Courfe  of  Nature  and  our  Exigence  derive,  fo  to  difpofe 
Things,  as  that  we  fhould  haveExiftence  in  a  corrupt  State, 
is  for  him  to  be  the  Author  of  Sin  :  But  the  Plea  now 
advanced  is,  That  it  is  not  proper  and  juft  for  fuch  an 
Agent  fo  to  difpofe  in  this  Cafe,  and  only  in  Confequence 
of  *Adam\  Sin  ;  it  not  beingjuft  to  charge  Adanis  Sin  to 
his  Pofterity.  And  this  Matter  mail  be  particularly  con- 
sidered, in  Anfvver  to  the  next  Objection  ;  to  which  I  now 
proceed. 


Chap.     III. 
That  great  Objection   againjl  the  Imputation  of 

Adam's  Sin  to  his  ^Poflerity,  confidered.  That 
fuch  Imputation  is  unjufl  and  iinreafonable^  inai- 
nuich  as  Adam  and  'his  Pofterity  are  not  one 
and  t  h  e  fame.  Wt th  a  brief  R  eflefiion  fit bjoitted, 
on  what  fome  have  fupppfed^  of  God's  imputing 
the  Guilt  of  Adams  Sin  to  his  Pofterity,  but 
in  an  infinitely  lefs  Degree,  than  to  Adam 
himfelf. 

THat  we  may  proceed  with  the  greater  Clearnefs  is 
considering  the  main  Objections  againft  fuppoflng 
the  Guilt  of  j£dunC%  Sin  to  be  imputed  to  his  Pofterity, 
I  would  premife  fome  Obfervations  with  a  View  to  the 
right  Stating  of  the  Doctrine  of  the  Imputation  of  Adam\ 
firft  Sin  ;  and  then  fhew  the  Reafonablenefs  of  this  Doct- 
rine, in  Oppofition  to  the  great  Clamour  raifed  againft  it 
on  this  Head. 

I  think,  it  would  go  far  towards  directing  us  to  the  more 
clear  and  diftintl:  conceiving  and  right  ftating  of  this  Affair, 
if  wc  fteadily  bear  this  in  Mind  j  That  God,  in  each  Step 

of 


Ghap.iil        its  true  Notion  Jlated.  327 

of  his  Proceeding  with  Adam,  in  Relation  to  the  Covenant 
or  Conflitution  eftablifhed  with  him,  look'd  on  his  Pofte- 
rity  as  being  One  with  him.  (ThePropriety  of  his  looking 
upon  them  fo,I  fhall  fpeak  to  afterwards)  Andtho'  he  dealt 
more  immediately  with  Adam,  yet  it  was  as  the  Head  of 
the  whole  Body,  &  iheRoot  of  the  whole  Tree  ;  and  in 
his  Proceedings  with  him,  he  dealt  with  all  the  Branches, 
as  if  they  had  been  then  exifting  in  their  Root. 

From  which  it  will  follow,  that  both  Guilt,  or  Expofed- 
nefs  to  Punifhment,  and  alfo  Depravity  of  Heart,  came 
upon  Adam's  Pofterity  juft  as  they  came  upon  him,  as 
much  as  if  he  &  they  had  all  co-exifted,  like  a  Tree  with 
many  Branches  ;  allowing  only  for  the  Difference  necefta- 
rily  refulting  from  the  Place  Adam  flood  in,  as  Head  or 
Root  of  the  whole,  and  being  firft  and  mod  immediately 
dealt  with,  &  mod  immediately  acting  &  fuffering.  Other- 
wife,  it  is  as  if,  in  every  Step  of  Proceeding,  every  Alte- 
ration in  the  Root  had  been  attended,  at  the  fame  Inftant, 
with  the  fame  Steps  and  Alterations  throughout  the  whole 
Tree,  in  each  individual  Branch.  I  think,  this  will  natu- 
rally follow  on  the  Suppofition  of  there  being  a  conftituted 
Onenefi  or  Identity  of  Adam  and  his  Pofterity  in  this 
Affair. 

Therefore  I  am  humbly  of  Opinion,  that  if  any  have 
fuppofed  the  Children  of  Adam  to  come  into  the  World 
with  a  double  Guilt,  one  the  Guilt  of  Adam's  Sin,  another 
the  Guilt  arifing  from  their  having  a  corrupt  Heart,  they 
have  not  fo  well  conceived  of  the  Matter.  The  Guilt  a 
Man  has  upon  his  Soul  at  his  firft  Exiftence,  is  one  and 
fimple  ;  viz.  the  Guilt  of  the  original  Apoftacy,  the  Guilt 
of  the  Sin  by  which  the  Species  firft  rebelled  againft  God. 
This,  and  the  Guilt  ariflng  from  the  firft  Corruption  cr 
depraved  Uifpofition  of  the  Heart,  are  not  to  be  look'd 
upon  as  two  things,  diftinftly  imputed  and  charged  upon 
Men  in  the  Sight  of  God.  Indeed  the  Guilt,  that  arifes 
from  the  Corruption  of  the  Heart,  as  it  remains  a  confirmed 
Principle,  and  appears  in  it's  confequent  Operations,  is  a 
dijlinft  and  additional  Guile :  but  the  Guilt  arifing  from 

the 


328    Imputation  of  Adam's  Sin    Part  IV. 

the  firft  exifting  of  a  depraved  Difpofition  in  Admits  Pofte- 
rity,  I  apprehend,  is  not  diftinct  from  theirGuilt  of  Adam's 
firft  Sin.  For  fo  it  was  not  in  Adam  himfelf.  The  firft 
evil  Difpofition  or  Inclination  of  the  Heart  of  Adam  to 
Sin,  was  not  properly  diftinct  from  his  firft  Act  of  Sin,  but 
was  included  in  it.  The  external  Act  he  committed  was 
no  otherwife  his,  than  as  his  Heart  was  in  it,  or  as  that 
Action  proceeded  from  the  wicked  Inclination  of  his  Heart. 
Nor  was  theGuilt  he  had,  double,  as  for  two  diftinct  Sins  I 
One,  the  Wickednefs  of  his  Heart  and  Will  in  that  Affair  ; 
another,  the  Wickednefs  of  the  external  Act,  caufed  by 
his  Heart.  His  Guilt  was  all  truly  from  the  Act  of  his 
inward  Man  ;  exclufive  of  which  the  Motions  of  his  Body 
were  no  more  than  the  Motions  of  any  lifelefs  Inltrument. 
His  Sin  confided  in  Wickednefs  of  Heart,  fully  fufficient 
for,  and  intirely  amounting  to,  all  that  appeared  in  the  Act 
he  committed. 

The  depraved  Difpofition  of  Adam's  Heart  is  to  be  con- 
fidered  two  Ways.  (1.)  As  the  firft  riling  of  an  evil  Incli- 
nation in  his  Heart,  exerted  in  his  firft  Act  of  Sin,  and 
the  Ground  of  the  compleat  TranfgreiTion.  (2.)  An  evil 
Difp>o(ition  of  Heart  continuing  afterwards,  as  a  confirmed 
Principle,  that  came  by  God's  forfaking  him  ;  which  was 
a  Pwnifhment  of  his  firft  Tranfgreflfion.  This  confirmed 
Corruption,  by  it's  remaining  and  continued  Operation, 
brought  additional  Guilt  on  his  Soul. 

And  in  like  Manner,  Depravity  of  Heart  is  to  be  con- 
fidered  two  Ways  in  Adam's  Pofterity.  The  firft  Ex- 
ifting of  a  corrupt  Difpofition  in  their  Hearts  is  not  to  be 
look'd  upon  as  Sin  belonging  to  them,  diftind  from  their 
Participation  of  Adam's  firft  Sin  :  it  is  as  it  were  the  ex- 
tended  Pollution  of  that  Sin,  through  the  whole  Tree,  by 
Virtue  of  the  conftituted  Union  of  the  Branches  with  the 
Root  ;  or  the  Inherence  of  the  Sin  of  that  Head  of  the 
Species  in  the  Members,  in  the  Confent  and  Concurrence 
of  the  Hearts  of  the  Members- with  the  Head, in  that  firft 
Act.  (Which  may  be,  without  God's  being  the  Author  of 
Sin  :  about  which  I  have  fpoken  in  the  former  Chapter.) 

But 


Chap.iil        its  true  Notion Jl xat led.  329 

But  the  Depravity  of  Nature,  remaining  an  eflablijhed 
Principle  in  the  Heart  of  a  Child  of  Adam*  and  as  ex- 
hibited in  After-Operations,  is  ^Confequence  and  Punifb- 
merit  of  the  fir  ft  Apoftacy  thus  participated,  and  brings  new 
Guilt. —  The  firft  Being  of  an  evil  Difpofition  in  the 
Heart  of  a  Child  of  Adam,  whereby  he  is  difpofed  to  ap- 
prove of  the  Sin  of  his  firft  Father,  as  fully  as  he  him- 
felf  approved  of  it  when  he  committed  it,  or  fo  far  as  to 
imply  a  full  and  perfect  Confent  of  Heart  to  it,  I  think, 
is  not  to  be  look'd  upon  as  a  Confequence  of  the  Impu- 
tation of  that  firft  Sin,  any  more  than  the  full  Confent  of 
Adam's  own  Heart  in  the  Ac!  of  (inning  ;  which  was  not 
confequent  on  the  Imputation  of  his  Sin  to  himfelf,but  ra- 
ther prior  to  it  in  the  Order  of  Nature.  Indeed  the  Deri- 
vation of  the  evil  Difpofition  to  the  Hearts  of  Adam's 
Pofterity,or  rather  the  Co-exiflence  of  the  evil  Difpofition, 
implied 'in  Ada??is  firft  Rebellion,in  the  Root  ^Branches, 
is  a  Confequence  of  the  Union,  that  the  wife  Author  of 
the  World  has  eftabli (lied  between  Adam  &  his  Pofterity; 
but  not  properly  a  Confequence  of  the  Imputation  of  his 
Sin;  nay,  rather  antecedent  to  it,  as  it  was  inAdam  him- 
felf.  The  firft  Depravity  of  Heart,  and  the  Imputation 
of  that  Sin,  are  both  the  Confequences  of  that  eftablimed 
Union ;  but  yet  in  fuch  Order,  that  the  evil  Difpofition  is 
firft,  and  the  Charge  of  Guilt  confequent  ;  as  it  was  in  the 
G&fc  of  Adam  Hmfelt*  The 

aUHWUHLUI      ..II III.. ma. ■  11.111  ■ hi  1      'l  ■■         l.l»..«L.iU.J-»l»IU.I       I     I  ■!     . 

*  My  Meaning,  in  the  whole  of  what  has  been  here  laid,  may 
be  illuftrated  thus  :  Let  us  fuppofe,  that  Adam  and  all  his 
Pofterity  had  co-exifud,  and  that  his  Posterity  had  fc»een,thr£ 
a  Law  of  Nature  eftabliflied  by  the  Creator,  united  to  him, 
fomething  as  the  Branches  of  a  Tree  are  united  to  the  Root, 
or  the  Members  of  the  Body  to  the  Head;  fo  as  to  conftitute 
as  it  were  one  complex  Perfon,  or  one  moral  Whole  :  So  that 
by  the  Law  of  Union  there  mould  have  been  a  Communion 
zndCo-exi/ence  inAds  &  Affections  ;  all  jointly  participating, 
and  all  concurring,  as  one  Whole,  in  the  Difpofition  &  A#ion 
of  the  Head  :  as  we  fee  in  the  Body  natural,  the  whole  Body 
is  affected  as  the  Head  is  affected  ;  and  the  whole  Body  con- 
curs when  the  Head  acts.  Now,  in  this  Cafe,  the  Hearts 
L  1  of 


330    Imputation  0/*  Adam's  Sin    Part  IV, 

The  firft  Exigence  of  an  evil  Difpofition  of  Heart, 
amounting  to  a  full  Confent  to  Aidants  Sin  no  more  in- 
fers God's  being  the  Author  of  that  evil  Difpofition  in 
the  Child,  than  in  the  Father,  The  firft  Arifing  or  Ex- 
iting of  that  evil  Difpofition  in  the  Heart  of  Adam,  was 

hJ 

of  all  the  Branches  of  Mankind,  by  the  Constitution  of  Na- 
ture and  Law  of  Union,  would  have  been  affected  juft  as  the 
Heart  of  Adam,  their  common  R.oot,  was  affected.  When 
the  Heart  of  the  Root,  by  a  full  Difpofition  committed  the 
firft  Sin,  the  Hearts  of  ail  the  Branches  would  have  con- 
curred ;  and  when  the  Root,  in  Confequence  of  this,  be- 
came guilty,  fo  would  all  the  Branches  ;  and  when  the 
Heart  of  theRoot,as  a  Punifhment  of  theSin  committed, was 
forfaken  of  God,  in  like  Manner  would  it  have  faired  with 
all  the  Branches  ;  and  when  the  Heart  of  the  Root,  in  Con- 
fequence of  this,  was  confirmed  in  permanent  Depravity, 
the  Cafe  would  have  been  the  fame  with  all  the  Branches  ; 
and  as  newGuilt  on  theSoul  of  Adam  would  have  been  con- 
fequent  on  this,  fo  alfo  would  it  have  been  with  his  moral 
Branches.  And  thus  all  Things,with  Relation  to  evil  Dif- 
pofition, Guilt,  Pollution  and  Depravity,  would  exift,  in  the 
fame  Order  and  Dependence,  in  each  Branch,  as  in  the 
Root.  Now,  Difference  of  the  Time  of  Exiftence  don't  at 
all  hinder  Things  fucceeding  in  the  fame  Order,  any  more 
than  Difference  of  Place  in  a  Co-exiftence  of  Time. 

Here  may  be  worthy  to  be  obferved,  as  in  feveral  Refpects 
to  the  prefentPurpofe,  fomeThings  th?t  are  laid  by  Stop ferns, 
an  eminent  Divine  of  Zurich  in  Switzerland,  in  his  Theologia 
Pokmica,  pubiifhed  about  fourtee-nYears  ago  \-~-\nEngUJh  as 
follows.  "  Seeing  H\Ada?nys  Pofterity  are  derived  from  their 
*c  firft  Parent,'  as  their  Root,  the  whole  of  the  human  Kind, 
cc  with  it's  Root,  may  be  confldered  as  constituting  but  one 
*«  Whole,  or  one  Mafs  ;  fo  as  net  to  be  properly  a  Thing; 
*c  diftincl  from  it's  Root  ;  the  Pofterity  not  differing  from 
"  it, any  otherwife  than  the  Branches  from  the  Tree.  From 
"  which  it  eafily  appears,  how  that  when  the  Root  fin'd, 
<<  all  that  which  is  derived  from  it,  and  with  it  conftitutes 
"  but  one  Whole,  may  be  looked  upon  as  alfo  finning  ; 
"  feeing  it  is  not  diftincl  from  the  Root,  but  is'  one  with 
«  it."-— Tm,  I.  Chap.  III.  §.  856,  57. 

"  Tis 


Chap. III.        iff  true  Notion  JIated.  331 

by  ^od's  Permijjion  ;  who  could  have  prevented  it,  if  he 
had  pleafed,  by  giving  fuch  Influences  of  his  Spirit,  as 
would  have  been  abfolutely  effectual  to  hinder  it  :  which, 
it  is  plain  in  Fact,he  did  with-hold :  and  whateverMy fiery 
may  be  fuppofcd  in  the  Affair,  yet  no  Chriflian  will  pre- 
fume  to  fay,  it  was  not  in  perfect  Confidence  with  God's 
Holinefs  and  Right  eoufnefs,    notwithuanding  *ddam  had 

L  1  2  been 


"  'Tis  objected,  againit  the  Imputation  of  Adam's  Sin,that 
u  we  never  committed  the  fame  Sin  with  Adam,  neither  in 
"  Number  nor  in  Kind.  I  anfwer,  we  fhould  diftinguifh 
"  here  between  the  Phyfical  Aft  it  felf*  which  Adam  commit- 
*'  ted,  and  the  Morality  of -the  Action,  and  Confent  to  it.  If 
ct  we  have  refpect  only  to  the  external  Act,  to  be  fure  it 
"  muft  be  confefs'd,  that  Adams  Pofterity  did  not  put  forth 
"  their  Hands  to  the  forbidden  Fruit  :  In  which  Senfe, 
"  that  Act  of  Tranfgreffion,  and  that  Fall  of  Adam  cannot 
"  be  phyjkally  one  with  the  Sin  of  his  Pofterity.  But  if  we 
"  confider  the  Morality  of  the  Action,  and  what  Confent  there 
"  is  to  it,  it  is  altogether  to  be  maintain'd,  that  his' Pofterity 
u  committed  {he  fame  Sin,  both  inNumber  &  in  Kind,  inaf- 
tc  much  as  they  are  to  be  Jock'd  upon  as  confenting  to  it. 
"  For  where  there  is  Confent  to  a  Sin,  there  the  fame  Sin 
"  is  committed.  Seeing  therefore  that  Adam  with  all  his 
"  Pofterity  conftitute  but  one  moral  Pcrfm,  and  are  united  in 
"  the  fame  Covenant,  &  are  Tranfgreffors  of  the  fame  Law, 
*'  they  are  alfo  to  be  look'd  upon  as  having,in  a  moral  Efti- 
c;  mation5committed  the  fameTranfg^effion  of  the  Law,both 
"  in  Number  and  in  Kind.  Therefore  this  Reafoning  avails 
"  nothing  againit  the  righteous  Imputation  of  the  Sin  of  A- 
"  dam  to  all  Mankind,  or  to  the  whole  moral  Perfon  that  is 
"  confenting  to  it.  And  for  the  Reafon  mention'd,  we  may 
rather  argue  thus  ;  The  Sin  of  thePofterity,on  Account  of 
their  Confent,  and  the  moral  View  in  which  they  are  to 
be  taken,  is  the  fame  with  the  Sin  of  Adam,  not  only  in 
,k  Kind,  but  in  Number  ;  therefore  the  Sin  of  Adam  is  right- 
"  fuily  imputed  to  his  Pofterity. "---/d.  Tom.  iv.  Cap.  16. 
"§.•60,  6 1. 

"  The  Imputation  of  Adam's  firft  Sin  confifts  in  Nothing 
"  t\[t  than  this,  that  his  Pofterity  areview'd  as  in  the  fame 
**  Place  with  their  Father,  and  are  like  him.  But  feeing, 
;'  agreable  to  what  we  have  already  proved,  God  m.ghr, 

according 


cc 


4. 


332  The  true  Notion  of  Imputation.  Part  IV. 

been  guilty  of  no  Offence  before.  So  Root  and  Branches 
being  one,  according  to  God's  wife  Conftitution,  the  Cafe 
3n  Fact  is,  that  by  virtue  of  this  Onenefs  anfwerable 
Changes  or  Effects  through  all  the  Branches  co-exift  with 
the  Changes  in  the  Root '  confequently  an  evil  Difpofition 
exifts  in  the  Hearts  of  Adam's  Pofterity,  equivalent  to 
that  which  was  exerted  in  his  own  Heart,  when  he  eat  the 
forbidden  Fruit.  Which  God  has  no  Hand  in,  any  other- 
wife,  than  in  not  exerting  fuch  an  Influence,  as  might  be 
effectual  to  prevent  it  ;  as  appears  by  what  was  obferved 
in  the  former  Chapter. 

But 


"  according  to  Ins  own  righteous  Judgment,  which  was 
"  founded  on  his  mod  righteous  Law,  give  Adam  a  Pofterity 
€C  that  were  like  h\mjelf\  and  indeed  it  could  not  be  otherwife, 
*c  according  to  the  very  Laws  of  Nature;  therefore  he  might 
64  alfo  in  righteous  Judgment  impute  Adam's  Sin  to  them  : 
ct  inafrnuch  as  to  give  Adam  a  Pofterity   like   bimfeif^    and  to 

"    1  whuff    h  i  c    K 


tm 


ipute  his  Sin  to  them,  is  one  and  the  fameThing.  And 
64  therefore  if  the  former  be  not  contrary  to  the  divine  Per- 
"  fections,fo  neither  is  the  latter.---- Our  Adverfaries  contend 
"  with  us  chiefly  on  this  Account,  That  according  to  our 
c:  Doctrine  of  original  Sin,  fuch  an  Imputation  of  the  firft  Sin 
"  is  maintained,  whereby  God,  without  any  Regard  to  uoi- 
"  verfal  native  Corruption,  efteems  all  Adam's  Pofterity  as 
"  guilty y  and  holds  them  as  liable  to  Condemnation,  purely 
"  on  Account  of  that  finful  Act  of  their  firft  Parent  ;  (o 
€i  that  They,  without  any  Refpect  had  to  their  own  Sin,  and 
"  fo,as  innocent  in  themlelves,  are  deftin'd  to  eternal  Punim- 

<c  ment. 1  have  therefore  ever  been  careful  to  mew,  that 

<f  they  do  injurioujly  fuppofe  thofe  things  to  be  feparated,  in 
*c  our  Doctrine,  which  are  by  no  Means  to  be  feparated.  The 
u  whole  of  the  Controverfy  they  have  with  us  about  this 
Ci  Matter,  evidently  arifes  from  this,  That  they  fuppofe  the 
cc  mediate  and  the  immediate  Imputation  are  diftinguimed  one 
6i  from  the  other,  not  only  in  the  Manner  of  Conception, 
"  but  in  Reality.  And  fo  indeed  they  confider  Imputation 
tc  only  as  immediate,  and  abftractly  from  the  mediate  ;  when 
cc  yet  our  Divines  fuppofe,  that  neither  ought  to  be  confklered 
cc  feparately  from  the  other.  Therefore  I  chofe  not  to  ufe 
"  any  fuch  Diftinction,  or  to  fuppofe  any   fuch  Thing,  in 

"what 


Chap.iii.  Its  Reafonableneis  and  Juftice.  333 

But  now  the  grand  Objection  is  againft  the  Reafonable- 
nefs of  fuch  a  Confitution,  by  which  .Ada?!!  and  hisPofle- 
rity  fhould  be  lookM  upon  as  One,  and  dealt  with  accord- 
ingly, in  an  Affair  of  fnch  infinite  Confequence  ;  fo  that 
if  Adam  finned,  they  muff  neceffarily  be  made  Sinners  by 
his  Difobedience,  and  come  into  Exigence  with  the  fame 
Depravity  of  Difpofition,  and  be  looked  upon  and  treated 
as  tho  they  were  Partakers  mthAd.am  inhisAft  of  Sin. — 
I  have  not  Room  here  to  rehear fe  all  Dr.  !T-— r's  vehe- 
ment Exclamations  againft  the  Reafonablenefs  and  Jullice 
of  this.  The  Reader  may  at  his  Leifure  confult  hisBook, 
and  fee  them  in  Places  refer  d  to  in  the  Margin* — What- 
ever black  Colours  and  frightful  Reprefentations  are  em- 
ploy'd  on  thisOccafion,  all  may  be  fum'd  up  in  this,  That 
Adam  and  his  Poflerity  are  not  one,  but  intircly  diftincl 
Agents.—  But  with  Refpeil  ro  this  mighty  Outcry  made 
againft  the  Reafonablenefs  of  any  fuch  Ccnftitution,  by 
which  God  is  fnppofed  to  treat  Adam  and  his  Poflerity 
as  One,   1  would  make  the  following  Obfen/ations. 

I.   It  fignifies  Nothing,to  exclaim  againft  plain  Faff 

Such  is  the  Faff,  mod  evident  and  acknowledged  Faff, 
with  refpeft  to  the  State  of  all  Mankind,  without  Excep- 


tion 


"  what  I've  faid  on  the  Subject  ;  but  only  have  endeavoured 
**  to  explain  the  Tiling  it  felf,  and  to  reconcile  it  with  the 
"  divine    Attributes.     And    therefore  I  have   every  where 


"  conjoined  both  thefe  Conceptions  concerning  the  Imputati 
"  on  of  the  firft   Sin,  as  infeparable  ;    and  judged,  that  on- 

"  ought  never  to  be  cbnfidered  without  the  other. Whil* 

*<  I  have  been  writing  this  Note,  I  confuted  all  the  Syftems 
"  of  Divinity,  which  I  have  by  me,  that  I  might  fee  what 
"  was  the  true  and  genuine  Opinion  of  our  chief  Divines 
"  in  this  Affair  ;  and  I  found  that  they  were  of  the  fame 
«  Mind  with  Me  ;  namely,  That  thefe  two  Kinds  of  Im- 
"  putation  are  by  no  Means  to  be  feparatcd,  or  to  be  con- 
«  fidered  abftradly  one  from   the  other,  but  that    one  does 

"  involve  the  other." He   there  particularly  cites   thofe 

two  famous  reformed  Divines,  Fitringa,  and  Lampfus  -— 
I  om.  iv.  Cap.  17.  §.  78. 

'*  p«  *3<  *5°>  !5h  i^>  261,  384,  387. 


334     Adam's  being  conjlituted     Part  IV. 

tion  of  one  Individual  among  all  the  natural  Dependents 
of  Adam,  as  makes  it  apparent,  that  God  actually  deals 
with  Adam  and  his  Pofterity  as  One,  in  the  Affair  of  his 
Apoftacy,  and  it's  infinitely  terrible  Confequences.  It 
has  been  demonftrated,  and  (hewn  to  be  in  Effect  plainly 
acknowledged,  that  every  Individual  of  Mankind  comes 
into  the  World  in  fuch  Circumftances,  as  that  there  is 
no  Hope  or  Poffibility  of  any  other  than  their  violating 
God's  holy  Law  (if  they  ever  live  to  aft  at  all,  as  moral 
Agents)  and  being  thereby  juflly  expofed  to  eternal  Ruin.* 
And  it  is  thus  by  God's  ordering  and  difpofing  of  Things. 
And  God  either  thus  deals  with  Mankind,  becaufe  he 
looks  upon  them  as  one  with  their  firft  Father,  and  fo  treats 
them  as  finful  and  guilty  by  his  Apoftacy  ;  or  (which 
won't  mend  the  Matter)  He,  -without  viewing  them  as  at 
all  concerned  in  that  Affair,  but  as  in  every  Refpeft  per- 
fectly innocent,  does  neverthelefs  fubjeft  them  to  this  in- 
finitely dreadmlCalamity.  Adam  by  his  Sin  was  expofed 
to  theCalamites  hSorrozvs  of  this  Life, lot  emporarD  eat  h, 
and  eternal  Ruin  ;  as  is  confefs'd.  And  'tis  alio  in  Effeft 
confefs'd,  that  all  his  Pofterity  come  into  the  World  in 
fuch  a  State,  as  that  the  certain  Confequence  is  their  being 
expofed,  and  juflly  fo,  to  the  Sorrows  of  this  Life,  to 
temporal  T>eath,  and  eternal  Ruin,  unlefs  faved  by  Grace. 
So  that  we  fee,  God  in  Faft 'deals  with  them  together,  or 
as  one.  If  God  orders  the  Confequences  of  Adam's  Sin, 
with  regard  to  his  Pofterity's  Welfare,  even  in  thofe  things 
which  are  mod  important,  and  which  do  in  the  higheff. 
Degree  concern  their  eternal  Interefr,  to  be  the  fame  with 
the  Confequences  to  Adam  himfelf,  then  he  treats  Adam 
and  his  Pofterity  as  in  that  Affair  one.  Hence,  however 
the  Matter  be  attended  with  Difficulty,  Facl  obliges  us  to 
getover  thcDifficulty,  either  by  finding  out  fome  Solution, 
or  by  fhutting  our  Mouths,  and  acknowledging  the  Weak- 
nefs  and  Scantinefs  of  our  Underftandings  ;  as  we  mud  in 
innumerable  other  Cafes,  where  apparent  and  undeniable 

Facl, 


1  art  I.  Chap.  I,  the  three  fir  ft  Se&ions. 


Chap.iil  our  common  Headynot  injurious.  335 

Faff,  in  God's  Works  of  Creation  and  Providence,  is  at- 
tended with  Events  and  Circumftances,  the  Manner  and 
Reafon  of  which  are  difficult  to  our  Underftandings. — 
But  to  proceed, 

II.  We  will  confider  the  'Difficulties  themfelves,  in- 
lifted  on  in  the  Objections  of  our  Oppofers.  They  may 
be  reduced  to  thefe  two  ;  Firft,  That  fuch  a  Conftituti- 
on  is  injurious  to  Adam's  Pofterity.  Secondly,  That  it 
is  altogether  improper,  as  it  implies  Falfhood  ;  viewing  and 
treating  thofe  as  one,  which  indeed  are  not  one,  but  intirely 
dijlina. 

FIRST  "Difficulty,  That  the  appointing  Adam  to 
ftand,  in  this  great  Affair,  as  the  moral  Head  of  his  Pofte- 
rity, and  fo  treating  them  as  one  with  him,  as  Handing  or 
falling  with  him,  is  injurious  to  them,  and  tends  to  their 
Hurt.  To  which  I  anfwer,  It  is  demonftrably  other- 
wife  ;  that  fuch  a  Conftitution  was  fo  far  from  being  in- 
jurious and  hurtful  to  Adam's  Pofterity,  or  tending  to 
their  Calamity,  any  more  than  if  every  one  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  ftand  for  himfelf  perfonally,  that  it  was,  in  it 
felf  confidered,  very  much  of  a  contrary  Tendency,  and. 
was  attended  with  a  more  eligible  Probability  of  an  happy 
IfTiie,  than  the  latter  would  have  been  :  and  fo  is  a  Con- 
flitution truly  exprefling  the  Goodnefs  of  it's  Author.  For, 
here  the  following  Things  are  to  be  confidered. 

1.  'Tis  reafonable  to  fuppofe,  that  Adam  was  as  likely, 
on  Account  of  his  Capacity  and  natural  Talents,  to  perfe- 
vere  in  Obedience,  as  his  Pofterity  (taking  one  with  ano- 
ther) if  they  had  all  been  put  on  theTrial  fingly  for  th<  - 
felves.  And  fuppofing,that  there  was  a  conftituted  Union 
or  Oneneft  of  him  and  his  Pofterity,  and  that  he  ftood  as 
a  publick  Perfon,  or  common  Head,  all  by  this  Conflitu- 
tion would  have  been  as  fure  to  partake  of  the  Benefit  of 
his  Obedience,  as  of  the  ill  Confequence  of  his  Difobedi- 
ence,  in  Cafe  of  his  Fall. 

2.  There  was  a  greater  Tendency  to  a  happy  IfTue,  in 
fuch  an  Appointment,  than  if  every  one  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  ftand  for  himfelf  :  efpecially  on  two  Accounts. 

(1.)    That 


336  This  Con-flit ution  not  injurious.  Part  IV» 

*\  (r.)  That  Adam  hzdftronger  Motives  to  Watchfulnefs ; 
than  his  Pofterity  would  have  had  ;  in  that  not  only  his 
own  eternal  Welfare  lay  at  Stake,  but  alfo  that  of  all  his 
Pofterity.  -  (2.)  Adam  was  in  a  State  of  complcat  Man- 
hood,  when  his  Trial  began.  It  was  a  Conftitution  very 
agreable  to  the  Goodnefs  of  God,  confidering  the  State 
of  Mankind,  which  was  to  be  propagated  in  the  Way  of 
Generation  that  theiryfr/?  Father  fhould  be  appointed  to 
ftand  for  all.  For  by  Reafon  of  the  Manner  of  their 
coming  into  Exigence  in  a  State  of  Infancy ^  and  their 
coming  fo  gradually  to  mature  State,  and  fb  remaining  for 
a  great  while  in  a  State  of  Childhood  and  comparative 
Imperfection,  after  they  were  become  moral  Agents,  they 
would  be  lefs  fit  to  (land  for  themfelves,  than  their  firft 
Father  to  Hand  for  them. 

If  any  Man,  notwithstanding  thefe  Things,  (It all  fay, 
That  for  his  own  Part,  if  the  Affair  had  been  propofed  to 
him,  he  fhould  have  chofen  to  have  his  eternal  Intereft 
trufted  in  his  own  Hands  s  'Tis  fufficient  to  anfwer,  that 
no  Man's  vain  Opinion  of  himfelf,as  more  fit  to  be  trufted 
than  others,  alters  the  true  Nature  and  Tendency  of 
Things,  as  they  demonftrably  are  in  themfelves. — Nor  is 
it  a  juft  Objection,  That  this  Conftitutiori  has  in  Event 
proved  for  the  Hurt  of  Mankind.  For  it  don't  follow, 
that  no  Advantage  was  given  for  a  happy  Event,  in  fuch 
an  Eftablifhment,  becaufe  it  was  not  fuch  as  to  make  it 
utterly  impoffible  there  fhould  be  any  other  Event. 

3.  The  Goodnefs  of  God  in  fuch  a  Conftitution  with 
Adam  appears  in  this  ;  That  if  there  had  been  no  five- 
reign  gracious  Eftablifhment  at  all,  but  God  had  proceed- 
ed only  on  the  Foot  of  meer  Juftice,  and  had  gone  no 
further  than  this  required,  he  might  have  demanded  of 
Adam  and  all  his  Pofterity..  that  they  fhould  perform 
perfect  perpetual  Obedience,  without  ever  failing  in  the 
leaft  Inftance,  on  Pain  of  eternal  Death  ;  and  might  have 
made  this  Demand  without  the  Promife  of  any  pofitive 
Reward  for  their  Obedience.  For  perfect  Obedience  is 
a  Debt,  that  every  one  owes  to  his  Creator  -?  and  there- 
fore 


Chap.iii.       Nor  implying  Falfhood.         337 

fore  is  what  his  Creator  was  not  obliged  to  pay  him  for. 
None  is  obliged  to  pay  his  Debtor,  only  for  difcharging 
his  juft  Debt. —  But  fuch  was  evidently  the  Conftitution 
with  Adam,  that  an  eternal  happy  Life  was  to  be  the 
Confequence  of  his  perfevering  Fidelity,  to  all  fuch  as 
were  included  within  that  Conftitution  (of  which  the 
Tree  of  Life  was  a  Sign)  as  well  as  eternal  Death  to  be  the 
Confequence  of  his  Difobedience. —  I  come  now  to  confl- 
der  the 

SECOND  'Difficulty. —It  being  thus  manifeft,  that  this 
Conftitution,  by  which  Adam  and  his  Pofterity  are  dealt 
with  as  One,  is  not  unreafonable  upon  Account  of  it's  be- 
ing injurious  and  hurtful  to  the  Intereft  of  Mankind,  the 
only  thing  remaining  in  the  Objection  againft  fuch  a  Con- 
ftitution, is  the  Impropriety  of  it,  as  implying  FalJJoood^ 
and  Contradiction  to  the  true  Nature  of  Things  ;  as  here- 
by they  are  view'd  and  treated  as  one,  who  are  not  one, 
but  wholly  diftinct  ;  and  no  arbitrary  Conftitution  can 
ever  make  that  to  be  true,  which  in  it  felf  confidered  is 
not  true. 

This  Objection,  however  fpecious,  is  really  founded  on 
a  falfe  Hypothecs,  and  wrong  Notion  of  what  we  call 
Samenefs  ovOnenefs,  among  createdThings ;  and  the  feem- 
ing  Force  of  the  Objection  arifes  from  Ignorance  or  In- 
confideration  of  the  Degree,  in  which  created  Identity 
or  Onenefs  with  paft  Exiftence,  in  general,  depends  on  the 
fovereign  Conftitution  and  Law  of  the  fupreme  Author  and 
Difpofer  of  the  Univerfe. 

SomeThings,  being  moft  (imply  confidered,  are  intirely 
diflincl,  and  very  diverfe  ;  which  yet  are  fo  united  by  the 
eftablifhed  Law  of  the  Creator,  in  fome  Refpefh  and  with 
Regard  to  fome  Purpofes  and  Effects,  that  by  Virtue  of 
that  Eftablifhment  it  is  with  them  as  if  they  were  One* 
Thus  a  Tree,  grown  great,  and  an  hundred  Years  old,  is 
One  Plant  with  the  little  Sprout,  that  firft  came  out  of  the 
Ground,  from  whence  it  grew,  and  has  been  continued  in 
conftantSucceffion  ;  tho  it's  now  fo  exceeding  dherfe,mmy 
Thoufand  Times  bigger,  and  of  a  very  different  Form, 

M  m  and 


338     Adam  and  his  Seed  One,     Part  IV, 

and  perhaps  not  one  A  torn  the  very  fame  :  YetGod, accord- 
ing to  an  eftablifhedLaw  of  Nature,  has  in  a  conflant  Sue- 
ceffion  communicated  to  it  many  of  the  fame  Qualities, 
and  mod  important  Properties,  as  if  it  were  One.  It  has " 
been  hisPIeafure,  to  confiitute  an  Union  in  thefe  Rcfpecls, 
and  for  thefe  Purpofes,  naturally  leading  us  to  look  upon 
all  as  One. — So  the  Body  of  Man  at  forty  Years  of  Age, 
is  one  with  the  Infant- Body  which  firft  came  into  the 
World,  from  whence  it  grew  ;  tho'  now  confiitured  of 
different  Subftance,  and  the  greater  Part  of  the  Subftance 
probably  changed  Scores  (if  not  hundreds)  of  Times :  and 
tho'  it  be  now  in  fo  many  Refpe&s  exceeding  diverfe,  yet 
God,  according  to  the  Courfe  of  Nature,  which  he  has 
been  pleafed  to  eftablifh,has  caufed,  that  in  a  certainMethod 
it  fhould  communicate  with  that  Infantile  Body,  in  the 
fame  Life,  the  fame  Senfes,  the  fame  Features,  and  many 
the  fameQualities,  and  in  Union  with  the  fame  Soul  ;  and 
fo,  with  regard  to  thefe  Purpofes,  'tis  dealt  with  by  him 
as  one  Body.  Again,  the  Body  and  Soul  of  a  Man  are 
one,  in  a  very  different  Manner,  &  for  different  Purpofes. 
Confide  red  in  themfelves,  they  are  exceeding  different 
Beings,  of  a  Nature  as  diverfe  as  can  be  conceived  ;  and 
yet,  by  a  very  peculiar  divine  Conftitution  or  Law  of  Na- 
ture, which  God  has  been  pleafed  to  cflablifh,  they  are 
ftrongly  united,  and  become  One,  in  mod  important  Re- 
flects \  a  wonderful  mutual  Communication  is  eftablifii- 
ed  ;  fo  that  both  become  different  Parts  of  the  fame  Man. 
But  theJIjnion  and  mutual  Communication  they  have,  has 
ice,  and  is  intirely  regulated  and  limited,  according 
to jtfc  fovereign  Pleaflire  of  God,  and  the  Conftitution  he 
been  pleafed  to  eftablifli. 
And  if  we  come  even  to  the  ferfonal  Identity  of  cre- 
ated intelligent  Beings,  tho  this  be  not  allowed  to  confift 
wholly  in  that  which  Mr.  Locke  places  it  in,  i.  e.  Same 
Confctoufnefs  :  yet  1  think  it  can't  be  denied,  that  this  is 
one  thing  effential  to  it.  But  'tis  evident,  that  the  Com- 
munication or  Continuance  of  the  fame  Confcioufnefs  and 
Memory  to  any  Subject,  thro'  iucceffive  Parts  of  Duration, 

depends 


Chap 


•iii  confiftent  with  /A?Truth  ofThings.^^ 

depends  wholly  on  a  divine  Eftablifhmcnt.     There  would 
be  no  Necefiity,  that  theRe  membra  nee  and  Idea's  of  what 
is  pad  fhould  continue  to  exift,  but  by  an   arbitrary  Con- 
ftitutien  of  the  Creator. — If  any  iliould  here  infill,  that 
there  is  no  Need  of  having  Recourfe   to  any  fuch  Confli- 
tution,  in  order  to  account  for  the  Continuance  oixSxtfame 
Confcioufnefs  ;  and  iliould    fay,  that  the  very  Nature  of 
the  Soul  is  fuch  as  will  fufficiently  account  for  it  ;  and 
that  the  Soul  will  retain  the  Idea's  &  Confcioufnefs  it  once 
had,  according  to  the  Courfe  of  Nature  : — Then  let  it  be 
remember'd,  Who  it  is,  gives  the  Soul  this  Nature  ;  and 
let  that  be  remember'd,  which  Dr.  T.  fays  of  the  Courfe 
of  Nature,  before  obferved  ;  denying,  that  the  Courfe  of 
Nature  is  a  proper   active  Caufe,  which  ivill  work  and 
go  on  by  itfelf  without  God,  if  he  lets  and  permits  it  ; 
faying,  that  the  Courfe  of  Nature,  feparate  from  the  A~ 
gency  of  God,    is   no  Caufe,   or  Nothing  ;    and  affirming, 
that  it's  abfolutely  impojftble,  the  Courfe  of  Nature fhoutd 
continue  itfelf,  or  go  on  to  operate  by  itfelf,  any  more  than 
produce  itfelf-*  and,  that  God,  the  Original  of  all  Being, 
is  the  ONLY  CAUSE  of  all  natural  Efeffsj— Here 
is  worthy  alfoto  be  obferved,  what  Dv.T'umbull  fays  of  the 
.Laws  of  Nature,  in  Words  which  he  cites  from  Sir  Ifaac 
Newton.']    "    It    is  the  Will   of   the  Mind  that   is   the 
st  firftCaufe,  that  gives  Subfiftence  &  Efficacy  to  all  thofe 
"  Lams,   who  is   the  efficient  Caufe  that   produces    the 
*'*  Phenomena,    which  appear  in  Analogy,  Harmony    and 
"  Agreement,  according  to  thefe  Laws'9     And  he  fays, 
,"  The  fame  Principles  mufl  take  Place  inThings  pcrtain- 
"  ing  to  moral,  as  well  as  natural  Philofophy."+ 

From  thefe  Things  it  wiU  cleanly  follow,  that  Identity 
of  Confcioufnefs  depends  wholly  on  a  Law  of  Nature  ; 
and  (b,  on  the  fovereign/^7//  and  Agency  of  GOT)  ;  and 
therefore,  that  Perform!  Identity,  and  fo  the  Derivation  of 
the  Pollution  and  Guilt  of  pad  Sins  in  the  fame  Perfon, 
depends  on  an  arbitrary  divine  Confliiution  :  and  this,evcn 
M  m  2  tli  ou  grj 

*  P.  410,      t  P.  416.      (I  Mor.  Phil.  P,  7.      %  Ibid  P.  9, 


340  All  createdQncnzfe)  dependent  Part  IV. 

though  we  fhould  allow  the  fame  Confcioufhefs  not  to  be 
the  only  Thing  which  constitutes  Onenefs  of  Perfon>but 
fhould,  befides  that,  fuppofe  Samenefs  of  Subftance  requi- 
site. For,  if  fame  Confcioufnefs  be  one  Thing  neceffary 
to  Perfonal  Identity,  and  this  depends  on  God5s  fovereign 
Conftkution,  it  will  dill  follow,  that  perfonal  Identity 
depends  on  God's  fovereign  Conftitution, 

And  with  refpcct  to  the  Identity  of  created  Subftance  it 
fclf,  in  the  different  Moments  of  its  Duration,  I  think, 
we  fhall  greatly  miftake,  if  we  imagine  it  to  be  like  that 
abfolute,  independent  Identity  of  the  First  Being, 
whereby  He  is  the  fame  Yeflerday,  to^Day,  and  for  ever. 
Nay,  on  the  contrary,  it  may  be  demonftrated,  that  even 
this  Onenefs  of  created  Subftance,  exifting  at  different 
Times,  is  a  meerly  depe nd '^Identity  ;  dependent  on  the 
PIcafure  and  fovereign  Conftitution  of  Him  who  zvorketh 
all  in  all.  This  will  follow  from  what  is  generally  al- 
lowed, and  is  certainly  true,  That  God  not  only  created 
all  Things,  and  gave  them  Being  at  firft,  but  continually 
preferves  them,  and  upholds  them  in  Being. — This  being 
a  Matter  of  confiderable  Importance,  it  may  be  worthy 
here  to  be  confidered  with  a  little  Attention. —  Let  us  in- 
quire therefore,  in  the  firitPlace,  Whether  it  ben't  evident, 
that  God  does  continually,  by  his  immediate  Power,  up- 
hold every  created  Subftance  in  Being  ;  and  then  let  us 
fee  the  Confequence. 

That  God  docs,  by  his  immediate  Power,  uphold  ev ery 
created  Snbftanc  -  in  Being,  will  be  manifeft,  if  we  confi- 
der,  that  their  prefent  Exiftence  is  a  dependent  Exiftence, 
and  therefore  is  an  Effect,  and  muft  have  fome  Caufe  : 
and  the  Caufe  muft  be  one  of  thefe  two;  either  the  ante- 
cedent Exiftence  of  the  fame  Subftance,or  elfe  the  Power 
of  the  Creator.  But  it  can't  be  the  antecedent  Exiftence 
of  the  fame  Subftance.  For  Inftance,  the  Exiftence  of 
the  Body  of  ihcJMoon  at  this  prefentMoment, can't  be  the 
Effect  of  it's  Exiftence  at  the  laft  foregoing  Moment.  For 
not  only  was  what  exifted  the  laft  Moment  mo  aftiveCaufe, 
but  wholly  a  paffive  Thing  j  But  this  alfo  is  to  be  confi- 
dered; 


Chap.iii.  onGOU s fovn-  Conftitution.   341 

dered,  that  no  Caufe  can  produce  Effects  in  a  Time  and 
Place  in  which  it  felf  is  ?iot.  'Tis  plain,  Nothing  can 
exert  itfelf,  or  operate,  when  and  where  it  is  not  exiding. 
But  the  Moon's  pad  Exidence  was  neither  where  nor 
when  its  prefent  Exigence  is. — In  point  of  Time,  what  is 
pafl,  intit  ely  ceafes,  when  prefent  Exidence  begins  ;  other- 
wife  it  would  not  be  pafl.  The  pad  Moment  is  ceafed 
and  gone,  when  the  prefent  Moment  takes  Place,  ;  and 
does  no  more  co-exifl  with  it,  than  does  any  other  Moment 
that  had  ceafed  twenty  Years  ago.  Nor  could  the  pad 
Exigence  of  the  Particles  of  this  moving  Body  produce 
Effects  in  any  other  Place,  than  where  it  then  was.  But  its 
Exiflence  at  the  prefent  Moment,  in  every  Point  of  it,  is 
in  a  different  Place,  from  where  its  Exiftence  was  at  the 
lad  preceeding  Moment.  From  thefe  Things,  I  fuppofe, 
it  will  certainly  follow,  that  the  prefent  Exidence,  either 
of  this,  or  any  other  created  Subdance,  cannot  be  an  Effect 
of  its  pad  Exidence.  The  Exidences  (fo  to  fpeak)  of  an 
Effect,  or  Thing  dependent,  in  different  Parts  of  Space  or 
Duration,  tho  ever  fo  near  one  to  another,  don't  at  all 
co-exifl  one  with  the  other  ;  and  therefore  are  as  truly 
different  Effects,  as  if  thofe  Parts  of  Space  and  Duration 
were  ever  fo  far  afunder  :  And  the  prior  Exidence  can  no 
more  be  the  proper  Caufe  of  the  new  Exidence,  in  the  next 
Moment,  or  next  Part  of  Space,  than  if  it  had  been  in  an 
Age  before,  or  at  a  Thoufand  Miles  Didance,  without 
any  Exidence  to  fill  up  the  intermediate  Time  or  Space. 
Therefore  the  Exidence  of  created  Subdances,  in  each 
fucceffive  Moment,  mud  be  the  Effect  of  the  immediate 
Agency,  Will,  and  Power  of  GOD. 

If  any  dial!  fay,ThisReafoning  is  not  good,  &  diall  infill 
upon  it,  that  there  is  no  Need  of  any  immediate  divine 
Power,  to  produce  the  prefent  Exidence  of  created  Sub- 
dances,  but  that  their  prefent  Exidence  is  the  Effect  or 
Confequence  of  pad  Exidence,  according  to  the  Nature 
of  Things  ;  that  the  edabliflied  Courfe  of  Nature  is  fuffi- 
ent  to  continue  Exidence,  where  Exidence  is  once  given  ; — 
I  allow  it :  But  then  it  fliould  be  remembered,  what  Na- 
ture 


-^^2  All cr eatedOntv\z{%)dependent  Part  IV. 

ture  is,  in  created  Things ;    and    what  the   eftablifhed 
Coarfe  of  Nature  is  ;  That,  as  has  been  obferved  already, 
it  is  Nothing,  fe par  ate  from  the  .Agency  of  God;  and  thr-.t, 
as  Dr.  Tl  fays,  GOT),  the  Original  of  all  Being,  is  the 
ONLTCaafe  of  all  naturalEffecls. — A  Father,according 
to  the  Courfe  of  Nature,begets  a  Child  ;  an  Oak, accord- 
ing to  theConrfe  of  Nature,  produces  an  Acorn,or  a  Bud  ; 
fo  according  to  the  Courfe  of  Nature,   the  former  Exift- 
ence  of  the  Trunk  of  the  Tree  is  followed  by  it's  new  or 
prefent  Exigence.     In  the  one  Cafe,   and  the  other,    the 
new  Effecl:  is  confequent  on  the  former,only  by  the  eflab- 
lifhed  Laws,  and  fettled  Courfe  of  Nature  ;  which  is  al- 
lowed to  be  Nothing  but  the  continued  immediate  Effici- 
ency of  GOD,   according  to  a  Conftitution    that   he  has 
been   pleafed   to    eftablifh.     Therefore,  as    our    Author 
greatly  urges,  that  the  Child  and  the  Acorn,  which  come 
into  Exiftence  according  to  the  Courfe  of  Nature,  in  Con- 
fequence  of  the  prior  Exigence  and  State  of  the  Parent 
and  the  Oak,  are  truly  immediately   created  cr   made  by 
God  ;  fo  muft  the  Exiflence  of  each  created  Perfon  and 
Thing,  at  eachMoment  of  it,  be  from  the  immediate  conti- 
nued Creation  of  God.    It  will-certainly  follow  from  thefe 
Things,  that  God's  preferring  created  Things  in  Being  is 
perfectly  equivalent  to  a   continued  Creation,  or  to  his 
creating  thofe  Things  out  of  Nothing  at  each  Moment  of 
their  Exigence.     If  the  continued  Exiflence  of  created 
Things  be  wholly  dependent  on  God's  Prefervation,  then 
thofe  Things  would  drop  into  Nothing,   upon  the  ceafing 
of  the  prefent  Moment,  without  a  new  Exertion  of  the  di- 
vine Power  to  caufe  them  to  cxill  in  the  following  Mo- 
ment.    If  there  be   any  who  own,    that  God  preferves 
Things  in  Being,   and  yet  how  that  they  would  continue 
in  Being  without  any  further  Help  from  him,  after  they 
once  have  Exiflence  ;  I  think,  it   is  hard  to    know   what 
they  mean.     To  what  Purpofe  can  it  be,to  talk  of  God's 
preferring  Things  in  Being,   when  there   is   no  Need  of 
his  preferving  them  ?   Or  to  talk  of  their  being  dependent 
on  God  for  continued  Exiflence^  when  they   would  of 

themfelves 


Chap.iii.  o?iGOD"sfovn'  Conftitation.    343 

themfelves  continue  to  exift,  without  hisHelp  ;  nay, though 
he  fhould  wholly  withdraw  his  fultaining  Power  and  In- 
fluence : 

It  will  follow  from  what  has  been  obferved,that  God's 
upholding  created  Subftance,  or  caufing  it's  Exigence  in 
each  fucceffive  Moment,  is  altogether  equivalent  to  an  im- 
mediate Production  out  of  Nothing,  at  eachMoment.  Be- 
caufe  it's  Exigence  at  this  Moment  is  not  meerly  in  Part 
fromGW,  but  wholly  from  him  ;  and  not  in  any  Part,  or 
Degree,  from  it's  antecedent  Exiftence.  For  the  fuppo- 
fing,  that  it's  antecedent  Exigence  concurs  with  God  in 
Efficiency,  to  produce  fome  Part  of  the  EfFe&,is  attend- 
ed with  all  the  very  fame  Abfurdities,  which  have  been 
fliown  to  attend  the  Suppofition  of  it's  producing  it  wholly. 
Therefore  the  antecedent  Exigence  is  Nothing,  as  to  any 
proper  Influence  or  Aflifiance  in  the  Affair  :  And  confe- 
quently  God  produces  the  Effect  as  much  from  Nothing, 
as  if  there  had  been  Nothing  before.  So  that  this  Effect 
differs  not  at  all  from  the  firft  Creation,  but  only  Circum- 
ftantially^  •  as  in  firft  Creation  there  had  been  no  fuch 
Aci  and^  Effect  of  God's  Power  before  :  whereas,  his  giv- 
ing Exigence  afterwards,  follows  preceeding  Acts  and 
EfFe&s  of  the  fame  Kind,  in  an  eftablifhed  Order. 

Now,  in  the  next  Place,  let  us  fee  how  the  Confequence 
of  thefe  Things  is  to  my  prefent  Purpofe.  If  the  Exig- 
ence of  created  Subftance,  in  each  fucceffive  Moment,  be 
wholly  theEffeft  of  God's  immediate  Power,  in  that  Mo- 
ment, without  any  Dependence  on  prior  Exigence,  as 
much  as  the  firft  Creation  out  of  Nothing,  then  what 
exifts  at  thisMoment,  by  this  Power,, is  a  newEffiecl]  and 
fimply  &  abfolutely  confidered,  not  the  fame  with  any  paft 
Exiftence,  tho'  it  be  like  it,  and  follows  it  according  to  a 
certain  eftablifhed  Method.    *  And  there  is  no  Identity  or 

Cnenefs 

*  Wnen  I  fuppofe,that  anEffedt  which  is  produced,  every  Mo- 
ment, by  a  newAdicn  or  Exertion  of  Power,  mull  be  a  new 
Effect  in  each  Moment,  and  not  abfolutely  and  numerically 
ihe  fame  with  that   which  exifted  in  proceeding  Moments, 

the 


344  dll  createdOtLznefeydependent  Part  IV. 

Onenefs  in  the  Cafe,  but  what  depends  on  the  arbitrary 
Conftitution  of  the  Creator  ;  who  by  his  wife  fovereign 
Eftablifhment  fo  unites  thefe  fucceflive  new  Effects,  that 
he  treats  them  as  One,  by  communicating  to  them  like 
Properties,  Relations,  &  Circumftances  ;  and  fo,  leads  us 
to  regard  and  treat  them  as  one.  When  I  call  this  an  ar- 
bitrary Conftitution,  I  mean,  that  it  is  a  Conftitution  which 

depends 

the  Thing  that  I  intend, may  be  illuftrated  by  this  Example. 
The  lucid  Colour  or  Brightnefs  of  the  Aloon,  as  we  look 
ftedfaftly  upon  it,  feems  to  be  ^-permanent  Thing, as  though 
it  were  perfectly  the  fame  Brightnefs  continued.  But  in- 
deed it  is  an  Effect  produced  everyMoment.  It  ceafes,  and 
is  renewed,  in  each  fucceffive  Point  ef  Time  ;  and  fo  be- 
comes altogether  a  new  Effect  at  each  fnfrant  ;  and  no  one 
Thing  that  belongs  to  it, is  numerically  the  fame  that  exifted 
in  the  preccedingMoment.  The  Rays  of  the  Sun,  impreffed 
on  thatBody,  and  reflected  from  it,  which  caufe  the  Effect, 
are  none  of  them  the  fame  :  The  Impreilion,  made  in  each 
Moment  on  ourSenfory,  is  by  the  Stroke  of  newRzys  :  And 
the  Senfation,  excited  by  the  Stroke,  is  a  new  Effect,  an 
Effect  of  a  newlmpunt.  Therefore  the  Brightnefs  or  lucid 
Whitenefs  of  this  Body  is  no  more  numerically  the  fame 
Thing;  with  that  which  exifted  in  the  preceeding  Moment, 
than  the  Sound  of  the  Wind  that  blows  now,  is  individually 
the  fame  with  the  Sound  of  the  Wind  that  blew  juft  before  > 
which,  though  it  be  like  it,  is  not  the  fame,  any  more  than 
the  agitated  Air,  that  makes  the  Sound, is  the  fame  ;  or  than 
the  Water,  flowing  in  a  River,  that  now  paffes  by,  is  indivi- 
dually the  fame  with  that  which  pafs'd  a  little  before.  And 
if  it  be  thus  with  the  Brightnefs  or  Colour  of  the  Moon,  fo 
it  muft  be  with  it's  Solidity,  and  every  thing  elfe  belonging 
to  it's  Subftance,  if  all  be,  each  Moment,  as  much  the  im- 
mediate Effect  of  a  new  Exertion  or  Application  of  Power. 
The  Matter  may  perhaps  be  in  fome  Refpects  ftill  more  clear- 
ly illuftrated  by  this.— The  Images  of  Things  in  a  Glafs,  as 
we  keep  our  Eye  upon  them,  feem  to  remain  precifely  the 
fame,  with  a  continuing  perfect  Identity.  But  it  is  known 
to  be  otherwife.  Philofophers  well  know,  that  thefe  Ima- 
ges are  conftantly  renewed,  by  the  Impreffion  and  Reflexion 
of  ntvo  Rays  of  Light ;  fo  that  the  Image  imprefs'd  by  the 
former  Rays  is  conftantly  vanifhing,  and  a  new  Image  im- 
prefs'd 


Chap.iii.  on  GOD's  fov.n  Conftitution.   345 

depends  on  Nothing  but  the  divine  JVM ;  which  divine 
Will  depends  on  Nothing  but  the  divine  Wifdom.  In 
this  Senfe,  the  whole  Gourfe  of  Nature,  with  all  that  be- 
longs to  it;  all  it's  Laws  and  Methods,  and  Conftancy  and 
Regularity,  Continuance  and  Proceeding,  is  an  arbitrary 
Conftitution.  In  this  Senfe,  the  Continuance  of  the  very- 
Being  of  the  World  and  all  it's  Parts,  as  well  as  the  Man- 
lier of  continued  Being,  depends  entirely  on  an  arbitrary 
Conftitution  :  for  it  'don't  at  all  neceftarily  follow,  that 
becaufe  there  was  Sound,  or  Light,  or  Colour,  or  Refift- 
ance,  or  Gravity,  or  Thought,  or  Confcioufnefs,  or  any 
other  dependent  Thing  the  lad  Moment,  that  therefore 
there  iliall  be  the  like  at  the  next. — All  dependent 
Exiffence  whatfoever  is  in  a  conftant  Flux,    ever  pafling 

N  ft  and 

prds'd  by  new  Rays  every  Moment,  both  on  the  triafs  and 
on  the  Lye.  The  Image  constantly  renewed,  by  new  fuc- 
ceftive  Rays,  is  no  more  numerically  the  fame,  than  if  it 
were  by  fome  Artift  put  on  a-new  with  a  Pencil, and  the  Co- 
lours conftantly  vanilhing  as  fail  as  put  on.  And  the  new 
Images  being  put  on  immediately  or  inftantly,  don't  make  'em 
the  fame,  any  more  than  if  it  were  done  wall  the  IntercriUEL- 
o'n  of  an  Hoar  or  a  Day.  The  Image  that  exifcs  this  Mo- 
ment, is  not  at  all  derived  from  the  Image  which  exifted  the 
laft  preceeding  Moment  :  as  may  be  ken,  becaufe,  if  the 
SuGcefflon  of  new  Rays  be  intercepted,  by  fomething  inter- 
pofed  between  -the  Object  and  the  Glafr,  the  Image  imme- 
diately ceafes  ;  the  pajt  Exigence  ot  the  Image  has  no  Influ- 
ence to  uphold  it,  (o  much  as  for  one  Moment.  Which, 
fhews,  that  the  linage  is  altogether  new-made  every  Mo- 
ment j  and  ftrictly  fpeak.in.g5is  in  no  Part  numerically  the 
fame  with  that  which  exifted  the  Moment  preceeding.  And 
truly  fo  the  Matter  mud  be  with  the  Bodies  themfelves,  as 
well  as  their  Images  :  They  alfo  cannot  be  the  fame,  with 
an  abfoiute  Identity,  but  muft  be  wholly  renewed  .every 
Moment, if  theCafe  be  as  has  been  proved,  thai:  :>nr. 

Exiftence  is  not,  ftrictly  freaking,  at  all  the  LiTecl  of  the.r 
part  Exigence  ;  but  is  wholly,  every  Inftant,  the  ErTeff  of  a 
new  Agency,  or  Exertion  ot  the  rower,' of  the  Caufe  of 
iheir  Exiftence.  If  io,  the  Exiftence  caufed  is  every  Inftant 
a  new  Effect,  whether  the  Caufe  be  Light,  or  "immediate  c.7- 
vins  Pewer,  or  whatever  it  be. 


346       No  folid  Reafon  againft     Part  IV, 

and  returning  ;  renewed  every  Moment,  as  the  Colours 
of  Bodies  are  every  Moment  renewed  by  the  Light  that 
fliines  upon  them  ;  and  all  is  conftantly  proceeding  from 
GOD,  as  Light  from  the  Sun.  In  Him  ivc  live,  and 
move,  and  have  our  Being. 

Thus  it  appears,  if  we  confider  Matters  ftrictly,  there  is 
no  fuch  Thing  as  any  Identity    or   Onenefs    in    created 
Objects,  exifting  at  different  Times,  but  what  depends 
on  GOT)7s  fovereign   Conftitution.     And  fo  k  appears, 
that  the  Objection,  we  are  upon,    made  againft  a  fuppofed 
divine  Conititution,  whereby  Adam  and  his  Pofterity  are 
view'd  and  treated  as  One,  in  the  Manner  and  for  the  Pur- 
pofes  fuppofed,  as  if  it  were  not  conftftent  with  Truth* 
becaufe  no  Conftitution  can  make  thofe  to  be  one,  which 
are  not  one  ;  I  fay,  it  appears  that  this  Objection  is  built 
on  a  falfe  Hypothefis  :  For  it  appears,  that  a  divine  Con- 
ftitution is  the  Thing  which  makes  Truth,   in  Affairs  of 
this  Nature,     The  Objection  fuppofes,  there  is  a  Onenefs 
in  created  Beings,  whence  Qualities  and  Relations  are  de- 
rived down  from  paft  Exiftence,  diftincl  from,   and  prior 
to  any  Onenefs  that  can  be  fuppofed  to  be  founded  on- 
divine  Conftitution.      Which   is  demonstrably  falfe  ;  and 
f  ufficiently  appears  fo  from  things  conceded  by  rhe  Adver- 
saries themfelvcs  :  And  therefore   the  Objection   wholly 
fails  to  the  Ground. 

There  are  various  Kinds  of  Identity  &  Onenefs,  found 
among  created  Things,  by  which  they  become  one  in 
different  Manners,  Refpecfs  and  Degrees,  and  to  various 
Purpcfes  ;  feveral  of  which  Differences  have  been  obferv- 
ed  ;  and  every  Kind  is  ordered,  regulated  and  limited,  in 
everyRefpect,  by  divine  Conftitution.  SomeThings,exift>. 
ingr  in  different  Times  &  Places,  are  treated  by  theirCreator 
as^One  in  one  Refpecl,  and  others  in  another  ;  fome  are' 
united  for  this  Communication,  and  others  for  that  ;  but 
all  according  to  ihe  fovereign  Pleafure  of  the  Fountain  of 
all  Being  and  Operation. 

It  appears,  particularly,   from  what  has  been  faid,  that 
all  Onenefs,  by  Virtue  whereof  Pollution  and  Guilt  from 

paft 


Chap.iii.  conft.d Unity  of  k&™&Mankd  34.7 

paft  Wickednefs  are  derived,  depends  intirely  on  a  divine 
Eft  ab  lift  merit.  'Tis  this,  and  this  only,  that  mud  account 
for  Guile  and  an  evil  Taint  on  any  individual  Sou!,  in 
Confequence  of  a  Crime  committed  twenty  or  forty  Years 
ago,  remaining  ftilJ,  and  even  to  the  End  of  the  World 
and  forever.  'Tis  this,  that  mud  account  for  the  Conti~ 
nuance  of  any  fuch  Thing,  any  where,  as  Confcioufnefs  of 
Acls  that  are  paft ;  and  for  theContinuance  of  all  Habits, 
either  good  or  bad  :  and  on  this  depends  every  Thing  that 
can  belong  to  perfonal Identity.  And  all  Communications, 
Derivations,  or  Continuation  of  Qualities,  Properties,  or 
Relations,  natural  or  moral,  from  what  is  paft,  as  if  the 
Subject  were  one,  depends  on  no  other  Foundation. 

And  I  am  perfuaded,  no  folid  Reafon  can  be  given,  why 
God,  who  conftitutes  all  other  created  Union  or  Onenefs, 
according  to  his  Pleafure,  and  for  v/hat  Purpofes,  Com- 
munications, and  EfFecls,  he  pleafes,  may  not  eftablifh  a 
Conftitution  whereby  the  natural  Pojlerity  of 'Adam,  pro- 
ceeding from  him,  much  as  the  Buds  and  Branches  from 
the  Stock  or  Root  of  a  Tree,  mould  be  treated  as  One 
with  him,  for  the  Derivation,  either  of  Righteoufnefs,  and 
Communion  in  Rewards,  or  of  the  Lofs  of  Righteoufnefs, 
and  confequent  Corruption  and  Guilt.* 

N  n  2  As 


I  appeal  to  fuch  as  are  not  wont  to  content  themfelves  with 
judging  by  a  fuperfieial  Appearance  and  View  of  Things, 
but  are  habituated  to  examine  things  ftriclly  and 
clofely,  that  they  may  judge  righteous  Judgment,  Whether 
on  Suppoiition  that  all. Mankind  had  co-cx:jledy  in  the  Man- 
ner mention'd  before,  any  good  Reafon  can  be  given,  why 
their  Creator  might  not,  if  he  had  pleafed,  have  cftabliflied 
fuch  an  Union  between  Adam  and  the  reft  of  Mankind,  as 
was  in  that  Cafe  fuopofed.  Particularly,  if  it  had  been  th-3 
Cafe,  that  Adams  Pofterity  had  actually,  according  to  a  Law 
of  Nature,  fome  how  grown  out  of  himfa  yet  remain'd  contiguous 
and  literally  united  to  hi?n^  as  the  Branches  to  a  Tree,  or  the 
Members  of  the  Body  to  the  Head  ;  and  had  all,  before  the 
Fall,  exifted  together  at  the  fame Time,  thorn  different  Places^ 
as  the  Head  and  Members  are  in  different  Places  :  In  this 

Cafe^ 


348         7heW\foomofGod        Part  IV. 

As  I  faid  before,  AllOnenefs  in  createdThings,  whence 
Qualities  and  Relations  are  derived,  depends  on  a  divine 
Conftitntion  that  is  arbitrary,  in  every  other  Re fpec"t,  ex- 
cepting that  it  is  regulated  by  divine  Wifdopi.  The  Wif- 
dorn,  which  is  exercifed  in  thefe  Conftitutions,  appears  in 
thefe  two  Things.  Firjl,  In  a  beautiful  Analogy  and 
Harmony  with  other  Laws  or  Conftitutions,  efpecially  re- 
lating to  the  fame  Subject  :  and  Secondly,  in  the  good 
Ends  obtain'd,  or  ufeful  Confequences  of  inch  a  Coniiitu- 
tion.  If  therefore  there  be  any  Objection  full  lying  againft 
this  Constitution  with  Adam  and  his  Poiterity,  it  muft  be, 
that  it  is  not  fufficiently  wife  in  thefe  Refpecls.  But  what 
extreme  Arrogance  would  it  be  in  us,  to  take  upon  us  to 
act  as  Judges  of  the  Beauty  and  Wifdom  of  the  Laws  and 
eftablilhed  Conftitutions  or  the  fupreme  Lord  and  Creator 
of  the  Univerfe  r — And   not   only  fo,  but  if  this  Cohfti- 

tufon, 


Cafe,  who  can  determine,  that  the  Author  of  Nature  might 
nor,  if  it  had  pleafed  him*  have  eitabliihed  fuch  an  Union 
between  the  Root  and  Branches  of  this  complex  Being,  as 
that  ail  fhouht  conftitute  One  moral  Whole  ;  fo  that  by  the 
Law  of  Union,  there  mould  be  a  Communion  in  each  moral 
^Alteration,  and  that  the  Heart  of  every  Branch  mould  at  the 
fame  Moment  participate  with  the  Heart  of  the  Root,  be  con- 
formed to  it  and  concurring  with  it  in  all  its  Affections  and 
Acts,  and  fo  jointly  partaking  in  its  State,  as  a  Pari  of  t he 
fame  Thing  ?  Why  might  not  God,  if  he  had  pleafed,  have 
fix'd  fuch  a  Kind  of  Union  as  this,  an  Union  of  the  various 
Parts  or  fuch  a  moral  Wb  h\  as  well  as  many  other  Unions 
which  he  has  actually  fix'd,  according  to  his  fovereign  Pica- 
lure  ?  And  if  he  might,  by  his  fovereign  Constitution,  have 
eftablilhed  fuch  an  Union  of  the  various  Branches  of  Man- 
kind,when  existing  in  differentP/^«,I  don't  fee  why  he  might 
rot  alfo  do  the  fame,  though  they  exift  in  different  Times. 
I  know  not  why  Succefllon,  or Divcriity  of  Tifne;  i fhouid 
make  any  fuch  conftituted  Union  more  unreafonabJe,  than 
Divcriity  of  Place.  The  only  Reafon,  why  Diverfity  of 
Time  can  feem  to  make  it  imreafonable,  is,  that  Difference 
a  Time  ft)ews,  there  is  no  abfolute  Identity  of  the  Things 
exifting  in  thofe  different  rimes  :  But  it  (hews  this,  I  think, 
pot  at  all  more  than  the  Difference  of  the  Place  of  Exito 


Chap.ih.  in  this  Conftitution.  349 

union,  in  particular,  be  well  confidered,  it's  JVifdom,  in 
the  two  forementioned  Refpecfh,  may  eafily  be  made  evi- 
dent. There  is  an  apparent  manifold  Analogy  to  other 
Conftitutions  and  Laws,  eflablifhed  and  maintained  through 
the  whole  Syflem  oi'  vital  Nature  in  this  lower  World  ;  all 
Parts  of  which,  in  all  SuccefTjons,  are  derived  from  the 
firft  of  the  Kind,  as  from  their  R.oot,  or  Fountain  ;  each 
deriving  from  thence  all  Properties  and  Qualities,  that  are 
proper  to  the  Nature  &:  Capacity  of  the  Kind,  or  Species  : 
NcrDerhative  having  any  onePerfection  (unlefs  it  be  what 
is  merely  circumflantial)  but  what  was  in  it's  Primitive. 
And  that  ^J^z'sPofterity  fliould  be  without  that  original 
Right  eoufnefs,  which  *Adam  had  loll,  is  alfo  analogous  to 
other  Laws  and  Eftablifhments,  relating  to  the  Nature  of 
Mankind  ;  according  to  which,  Adam\  Pofterity  have  no 
one  Perfection  of  Nature,  in  any  Kind,  fuperiour  to 
what  wis  in  him,  when  the  human  Race  began  to  be  pro- 
pagated from  him, 

And  as  fuch  a  Conftitution  was  ft  and  wife  in  other 
Refpecte,  fo  it  was  in  this  that  follows.  Seeing  the  divine 
Conftitution  concerning  the  Manner  of  Mankind's  coming 
into  Exiftence  in  their  Propagation,  was  fuch  as  did  fo  na- 
turally unite  them,  &  made  'em  in  fo  many  Refpecls  One, 
naturally  leading  them  to  a  clofe  Union  in  Society,  and 
manifold  Intercourse,  and  mutual  Dependence,  Things 
were  wifely  fo  eftablilhed,  that  all  fliould  naturally  be  in 
one  and  the  fame  moral  Slate  ;  and  not  in  fuch  exceed- 
ing different  States,  as  that  fome  fhould  be  perfectly  inno- 
cent and  holy,  but  others  corrupt  and  wicked  ;  fome  need- 
ing a  Saviour,  but  others  needing  none  ;  fome  in  a  con- 
firmed State  of  perfect  Happinefs,  but  others  in  a  State  of 
publick  Condemnation  to  perfect  and  eternal  Mifery; 
iome  juftly  expofed  to  great  Calamities  in  this  World,  but 
others  by  their  Innocence  raifed  above  all  Suffering.  Such 
a  vaft  Diverfity  of  State  would  by  no  Means  have  agreed 
with  the  natural  8z  neceflary  Conftitution  &  unavoidable 
Situation  and  Circumftances  of  the  World  of  Mankind  ; 
all  made  of  one  Blood,    to  dwell  on  all  the  Face  of  the 

Earth, 


3  5oGrief &&hamzforOrig  lSin,juft.¥.  IV. 

Earth,  to  be  united  and  blended  in  Society,and  to  partake 
together  in  the  natural  and  common  Goods  and  Evils  of 
this  lower  World. 

Dr,  7~.  urges,  *  that  Sorrow  and  Shame  are  only  fo? 
perfonal  Sin  :  and  it  has  often  been  urged, that  Repentance 
can  be  for  no  other  Sin.  To  which  I  would  fay,  that  the 
Ufe  of  J^ords  is  very  arbitrary  :  But  that  Men's  Hearts 
fhould  be  deeply  affected  with  Grief  and  Humiliation  be- 
fore God,  for  the  Pollution  and  Guilt  which  they  bring 
into  the  World  with  them,  I  think,  is  not  in  the  lead  um- 
reafonable.  Nor  is  it  a  Thing  (1  range  and  unheard  of, that 
Men  fhould  be  ajhamed  of  Things  done  by  others,  whom 
they  are  nearly  concerned  in.  I  am  fure,  it  is  not  unfcripf 
tural  ;  efpecially  when  they  are  juftly  looked  upon  in  the 
Sight  of  God,  who  fees  the  Difpofition  of  their  Hearts, 
as  fully  confenting  and  concurring. 

From  what  has  been  obferved  it  may  appear,there  is  no 
fure  Ground  to  conclude,  that  it  mud:  be  an  abfurd  and 
impoifible  Thing,  for  the  Rare  of  Mankind  truly  to  par- 
take of  the  Sin  of  the  firft  Apoftacy,  fo  as  that  this,  in 
Reality  8c  Propriety,  fhall  become  their  Sin  ;  by  Virtue  of 
a  real  Union  between  the  Root  and  Branches  of  the  World 
of  Mankind  (truly  and  properly  availing  to  fuch  a  Confe- 
quence)  eftabliflied  by  the  Author  of  the  whole  Syftem  of 
the  Univerfe;  to  whofe  Eftablifhrnents  is  owing  all  Pro- 
priety and  Reality  of  Union,  in  any  Part  of  that  Syftem  ; 
and  by  Virtue  of  the  full  Confent  of  thellearts  of  Jidam\ 
Pofterity  to  that  firft  Apoftacy.  And  therefore  the  Sin  of 
the  Apoftacy  is  not  their's,  meerly  becaufe  God  imputes  it 
to  them  ;  but  it  is  truly  and  properly  their's,  and  on  that 
Ground,  God  imputes  it  to  them. 

By  Reafon  of  the  eftablifhed  Union  between^dam  and 
hisPofterity,theCafe  is  far  otherwife  between  him  8c  them, 
than  it  is  between  diftincl:  Parts  or  Individuals  of  Adam\ 
Race;  betwixt  whom  is  no  fuch  conftitu  ted  Union-.  As, 
between  Children  &  otherAnceftors.    Concerning  whom  is 

apparently 


'3- 


Chap.iii.  Objnfr. Ezek.  \  8.  r,~20.  anfw d  351 

apparently  to  be  underftood  that  Place,  J?2r^i.xviii.i, — 20* 
Where  God  reproves  the  Jetus  for  the  Ufe  they  made  of 
that  Proverb,  The  Fathers  have  eaten  Jowre  Grapes, and 
the  Children^  Teeth  are  fet  on  Edge  /    and  tells  them, 
that  hereafter  they  mall  no  more   have  Oc caftan  to  ufe 
this  Proverb  ;  and  that  if  a  Son  fees  the  Wickednefs  of  his 
Father,  and  fincerely  difapproves  it  and  avoids  it,  and  he 
hi  mfeif  is  righteous,   he  fhall  not  die  for  the  Iniquity  of 
his  Father  ;   that  all  Souls,  both  the  Soul  of  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  are  his  ;  and  that  therefore  the  Son  fball not 
bear  the  Iniquity  of  his  Father,  nor  the  Father  bear  the 
Iniquity  of  the  Son  ;    but  the  Soul  that  ftnneth,  it  Jhall 
die  ;  that   the  Right eoufnefs   of  the  Righteous  Jhall  be 
upon  him,   and  the  Wickednefs  of  the    Wicked  Jhall  be 
upon  him.     The  Thing  <^mV^,isCcmmunion  in  the  Guile 
and  Puniihment  of  the  Sins  of  others,  that  are   diftinft 
Parts  of  Adam's  Race  ;  and  exprefly,  in  that  Cafe,where 
fhere  is  no  Confent  and  Concurrence,   but  a  flncere  Difap- 
probation  of  theWickednefs  of  Anceftors.     It  is  declared, 
that  Children  who  are  adult  and    come  to  act  for  them- 
felves,  who  are  righteous^  and  don't  approve  of,  but  fin- 
cerely condemn  the  Wickednefs  of  their  Fathers,  fhall 
not  be  punifhed  for  their  difapproved  and  avoided  Iniqui- 
ties.    The  Occafion  of  what  is  here  faid,    as  well  as  the 
T>efign  and  plain  Senfe,  fhews,  that  Nothing  is  here  in* 
tended  in  the  lead  Degree  inconfiflent  with  what  has  been 
fuppofed  concerning  Adam 's  Pofterity's  finning  and' fall- 
ing in  his  Apoftacy. — The  Occafion  is,  the  People's  mur- 
muring at  God's  Methods  under  thtMofaic  Difpenfation  ; 
agreable  to  that  in  Levit.xxv'h2^.  And  they  that  are  left 
of  you,  fhall  pine  away  in  their  Iniquity  in  their  Enemies 
Land,  and  alfo  in  the  Iniquities  of  their  Fathers  Jhall 
they  pine  away  with  them.     And  ether  parallel  Places, 
refpe&ing  external  Judgments,    which  were  the  Puniili- 
ments  moft  plainly  threatened,  and  chiefly  infilled  on,  un- 
der -that  Difpenfation  (which  was,  as  it  were,  an  external 

and 

*  Which  Drt  T.  allcdges  P,  286,  287, 


3  5^  God's]  uftice,tt0/  to  be  difputed.V&rt  XV . 

and  carnal  Covenant)  and  particularly  the  People's*  fufTcr- 
ing  fuch  terrible  Judgments  at  that  Day, even  in  EzekiePs 
Time,  for  the  Sins  of  Mdnaffeh  ;  according  to  what  God 
fays  by  Jeremiah  (Jer.xv.4.)  and  agreable  to  what  is 
faid  in  that  Confeffion,  Lam. v. 9.  Our  Fathers  have  fin\i 
and  are  not,  and  we  have  borne  their  Iniquities, 

In  what  is  faid  here,  there  is  a  fpecial  Rcfpecr.  to  the  in- 
troducing the  Gofpel-Difpenfation;  as  is  greatly  confirm- 
ed by  comparing  this  Place  with  Jer.  xkx'l  29,  30,  3  t, 
Under  which  Difpenfation,  the  Righteoufnefs  of  God's 
Dealings  with  Mankind  would  be  more  fully  manifested, 
in  the  clear  Revelation  then  to  be  made  of  the  Method  of 
the  Judgment  of  God,  by  which  the  final  State  of  wicked 
Men  is  determined  ;  which  is  not  according  to  the  Beha- 
viour of  their  particular  Anceftors;  but  every  one  is  dealt 
with  according  to  the  Sin  of  his  own  wicked  Heart,  or  {in- 
fill Nature  and  Practice.  The  Affair  of  ''Derivation  of 
the  natural  Corruption  of  Mankind  in  general, and  of  then 
Content  to,  and  Participation  of,  the  primitive  and  com* 
mori  .-'■■  poitacy,  is  not  in  the  lead  intermeddled  with,  or 
touch'd,  by  any  thing  meant  or  aimed  at  in  the  true  Scope 
and  Defign  of  this  Place  in  Ezekiel. 

On  the  Whole,  if  any  don't  like  the  Philofophy,  or  the 
Met  aphv fecks  (as  feme  perhaps  may  chufe  to  call  it)  made 
life  of  in  the  foregoing  Reafonings  ;  yet  1  cannot  doubt, 
but  that  a  proper  Confideration  of  what  is  apparent  and 
undeniable  in  Fatl,  with  refpecl  to  the  'Dependence  of 
the  State  and  Courfe  of  Things  in  this  Univerfe  on  the 
fovereign  Conflitutions  of  the  fuprcme  Author  and  Lord 
of  all,  who  gives  none  Account  of  any  of  his  Matters, 
and  zvhofe  Ways  are  p aft  finding  out,  will  be  fufficient, 
with  Perfons  of  common  Modeny  8c  Sobriety,to  flop  their 
Mouths,  from  making  peremptory  Decifions  againft  the 
Jnftice  of  God,  rcipecYing  what  is  fo  plainly  and  fully 
taught  in  his  holy  Word,  concerning  the  Derivation  of  .a 
Depravity  and  Guilt  from  Adam  to  his  Pofterity  ;  aThing 
fo  abundantly  confirm'd  by  what  is  found  in  the  Ex  peri' 
ence  of  all  Mankind  in  all  Ages, 

This 


chap.iii.  O/'partial  Imputation  to  Infants.  353 

This  is  enough, one  would  think, forever  to  filence  fuch 
bold  Expreffions  as  thefe  —  "  If  this  bejuft, — iftheScrip- 
"  tures  teach  fuch  Doflrine^r.  then  the  Scriptures  are  of 
"  nollfe — Underftanding is  ^Underftanding, — z\-\&,Wbat 
*'  a  GOD  muft  he'  be,  that  can  thus  curfe  innocent  Crea- 
"  tures  !— Is  this  thy  GOT>,  O  Chriftian  /— &c.  &c. 

It  may  not  be  improper  here  to  add  fomething  (by Way 
of  Supplement  to  this  Chapter,  in  which  we  have  had  Oc- 
cafion  to  fay  fo  much  about  the  Imputation  of  Adam's 
Sin)  concerning  the  Opinions  of  two  "Divines,  of  no  in- 
coniiderable  Note  among  the  6D\ '[([enters  in  England,  re- 
la  ting  to  a  partial  Imputation  of  Adam's  firft  Sin. 

One  of  them  fuppofes,  that  this  Sin,  tho  truly  imputed 
to  Infant  s,  io  that  thereby  they  are  expofed  to  a  proper 
Punifcment,ycc  is  not  imputed  to  them  in  fuch  ^Degree, 
as  that  upon  this  Account  they  fhould  be  liable  to  eternal 
PuniQiment,  as  Adam  himfelf  was,  but  only  to  temporal 
"Death,  or  Annihilation  ;  Adam  himfelf,  the  immediate 
Actor,  being  made  infinitely  more  guilty  by  it,  than  his 
Poftcrity. — On  which  I  would  obferve  ;  That  to  fup- 
pofe,  God  imputes  not  all  the  Guilt  of  Adam's  Sin,  but 
only  fome  little  Part  of  it,  this  relieves  Nothing  but  one's 
Imagination.  To  think  of  poor  little  Infants  bearing 
fuch  Torments  for  Adam's  Sin,  as  they  fometimes,  do  in 
this  World,  and  thefe  Torments  ending  in  Death  andAn* 
nihilation,  may  fit  eafier  on  the  Imagination,  than  to  con- 
ceive of  their  fufFering  eternal  Mifery  for  it.  But  it  does 
not  at  all  relieve  one's  Reafon.  There  is  no  Rule  of 
Reafon,  that  can  be  fuppofed  to  lie  againft  imputing  a  Sin 
in  the  Whole  of  it,  which  was  committed  by  one,  to  ano- 
ther who  did  not  perfonally  commit  it,  but  what  will  alfo 
lie  againft  its  being  fo  imputed  and  pnniflied  in  Part.  For 
all  the  Reafons  (if  there  are  any)  lie  againft  the  Imputa- 
tion ;  not  theQjia?itity  ovDegree  of  what  is  imputed.  If 
there  be  any  Rule  of  Reafon,  that  is  ilrong  and  good,  lying 
againft  a  proper  Derivation  or  Communication  of  Guilt, 
from  one  that  a&ed,  to  another  that  did  not  aft  ;  then  it 
lies  againft  all  that  is  of  this  Nature,     The  Force  of  the 

O  o  Reafons 


354      Of  Infants  future  State      Part  IV, 

Reafons  brought  againft  imputing  Adam's  Sin  to  his  Pofte- 
rity  (if  there  be  any  Force  in  them)  lies  in  this,  That 
•Adam  and  his  Poflerity  are  not  One.  But  this  lies  as  pro- 
perly againft  charging  a  Part  of  the  Guilt,  as  the  Whole. 
For  Adam's  Poflerity,  by  not  being  the  fame  with  him, 
had  no  more  Hand  in  a  Little  of  what  was  done,  than  in 
the  Whole.  They  were  as  abfolutely  free  fron*  being  con- 
cerned in  that Acl  partly,  as  they  were  wholly.  And  there 
is  no  Reafon  can  be  brought,  why  one  Man's  Sin  can't  be 
juftly  reckon'd  to  another's  Account,  who  was  not  then 
in  Being,  in  the  Whole  of  it  ;  but  what  will  as  properly 
lie  againft  it's  being  reckon'd  to  him  in  any  Part,  fo  as 
that  he  fnould  be  fubjecl  to  any  Condemnation  or  Puniili- 
ment  on  that  Account. — If  thofe  Reafons  are  good,  all  the 
'Difference  there  can  be,  is  this  \  That  to  bring  a  great 
Puniihment  on  Infants  for  Adam\  Sin,  is  a  great  Acl:  of  In- 
juftice, and  to  bring  a  comparatively  y9;^//Puniiliment,  is  a 
f mailer  Acl:  of  Injuftice  ;  but  not,  that  this  is  not  as  truly 
and  demonflrably  an  Acl  of  Injuftice,  as  the  other. 

To  illuftrate  this  by  an  Inftance  fomething  parallel. 
JTis  ufed  as  an  Argument  why  I  may  not  exacl  from  one 
of  my  Neighbours,  what  was  due  to  me  from  another, 
that  he  and  my  ^Debtor  aj£  not  the  fame  ;  and  that  their 
Concerns,  Interefts  &  Properties  are  intirely  diftincl.  Now 
if  this  Argument  be  good,  it  lies  as  truly  againft  my  de- 
manding from  him  a  Part  of  the  Debt,  as  the  Whole. 
Indeed  it  is  a  greater  Acl  of  Injuftice,  for  me  to  take  from 
him  the  Whole  of  it,  than  a  Part  ;  but  not  more  truly  and 
certainly  an  Acl  of  Injuftice. 

The  other  Divine  thinks,  there  is  truly  an  Imputation 
of  Sldamh  Sin,  fo  that  Infants  can't  be  look'd  upon  as 
innocent  Creatures,;  yet  feems  to  think  it  not  agreable  to 
the  Perfecl/ons  of  God,  to  make  the  State  of  Infants  in 
another  World  worfe  than  a  State  of  Non~exiflence.  But 
this  to  me  appears  plainly  a  giving  up  that  grand  Point  of 
the  Imputation  of  Ada?nh  Sin,  both  in  Whole  and  in 
Part.  For  it  fuppofes  it  to  be  not  right,  for  God  to 
bring  any  Evil  on   a  Child   of  Adam>  which  is  innocent 

as 


Chap.iii.  being  worfe  ^^Non-exiftencc.355 

as  to  perfonal  Sin,  without  paying  for  it,  or  balancing  it 
with  Good  ;  fo  that  (till  the  State  of  the  Child  fliall  be  as 
good,' as  could  be  demanded  in    jfuflice,  in  Cafe  of  meer 
Innocence.     Which  plainly  fuppofes,  that  the  Child  is  not 
expofed  to  any  proper  Punifhment  at  all,  or  is  not  at  all 
in  'Debt  to  divine  Juilice,  on  the  Account  of  Ada???  sSm. 
For  if  the  Child  were  truly  in  'Debt,  then  furely  y lift  ice 
might  take  fomething  from  him,  without  paying  for  it,  or 
without  giving  that  which  makes  it's  State  as  good,  as  meer 
Innocence  could  injuftice  require.*    If  he  owes  the  naffer- 
ing  of  Comt  P  uni foment ,  then  there  is  noNeed  that  yuftice 
fhould  requite    the  Infant  for  furFering  that  Punifhment  ; 
or  make  up  for  it, by  conferring  fome  Good,  that  fliall  coun- 
tervail it,  and  in  Effect  remove  and  difannul  it ;  fo  that,  on 
the  Whole,  Good  and  Evil  fliall  bo  at  an  even  Balance, 
yea,  fo  that  the  Scale  of  Good  fliall  preponderate.     If  it 
is  unjuft  in  a  Judge,  to  order  any  Quantity  of  Money  to 
be  taken  from  another,  without  paying  him  again,  &  fully 
making  it  up  to  him,  kmuft  be  becaufe  he  had yiftly  for- 
feited none  at  all. 

It  feems  to  me  pretty  manifeft,  that  none  can,  in  good 
Confidence  with  themfelves,  own  a  real  Imputation  of  the 
Guilt  of  Adams  firft  Sin  to  hi&^Pofteriry,  without  owning 
that  they  are  juflly  view'd  and  treated  as  Sinners,  truly 
guilty,  and  Children  of  Wrath,  on  that  Account  ;  nor 
unlets  they  allow  a  juft  Imputation  of 'the  Whole  of  th« 
Evil  of  that  Tranfgreffion  ;  at  lead:,  all  that  pertains  to 
the  Eflence  of  that  Aft,  as  a  full  and  compleat  Violation 
of  the  Covenant,  whichGod  had  eft  abliflied  ;  even  as  much 
as  if  each  one  of  Mankind  had  the  like  Covenant  efta- 
bliflied  with  him  fingly,  and  had  by  the  like  direct  &  full 
Aft  of  Rebellion,  violated  it  for  himfelf. 


O  o  2  Chap, 

P.  359,  &c 


356  Bleflings  on  Noah  &  his  Sons,  Part  IV. 

C  11   a   p.     IV. 

Wherein  fever  al  other  Objections  are  confidered. 

DR.  T.  obje&s  againft  Adams  Pofterity's  being  fup* 
pofed  to  come  into  the  World  under  a  Forfeiture 
of  God's  Bleffing,  and  fubje&  to  his  Curfe  through  his 
Sin,— -That  at  the  Reiteration  of  the  World  after  the 
Flood,  God  pronounced  equivalent  or  greater Bleflings  on 
Noah  and  his  Sons,  than  he  did  on  Adam  at  his  Creation, 
when  he  faid,  Be  fruitful,  and  multiply,  &  repfenifh  the 
Earth,  &  have  Dominion  over  the  Fijb  of  the  Sea,  &c* 

To  this  I  anfvver,  in  the  following  Remarks. 
'      T.   As  it  has  been  already  fhewn,    that  in  the  Threat- 
ning,  denounced  tor  Adam's  Sin,  there  was  Nothing  which 
appears  Inconfifient  with  the  Continuance   of  this  frcfent 
Life  for  a  Seafon,  or  with  the  Propagating  his  Kind  ;    fb 
for  the  like  Reafon,  there  appears  Nothing  in  thatThreat- 
ning,  upon  the  Suppofition  that  it  reach'd  Adams  Voile- 
rity,  inconfifient  with  their  enjoying  the  temporal  Blcjfngs 
of  the  pre  fen  t  Life,  as  long  as   this    is  continued  :    even 
thofe  temporal  Bleflings  which  God  pronounced  on  Ad-am 
tit  his  firft  Creation.     For  it  mult   be  obferved,    that  the 
Bleflings  which  God  pronounced  on  Adam,  when  he  frit 
Created  him,  and  before  the  Trial  of  his  Obedience ,were 
not  the  fame  with  the  Bleflings  which  were  fafpended  on 
his  Obedience.     The  Bleflings  thus  fufpended,  were  the 
Bleflings  of  eternal  "Qfe  ;  which,  if  he  had  maintained  his 
Integrity  through  his  Trial,  would  have  been  pronounced 
upon  him  afterwards  ;  when  God,  as  his  Judge,   fhould 
have  given  him  his  Reward.      God  might  indeed, if  he  had 
pleas'd,  immediately  have  deprived  him  of  Life,    and    of 
ail  temporal  Blejjings,  given  him  before.    But  thofeBIef- 
(ihgs  pronounced  on  him  before-hand, were  not  theThings, 
for  the  obtaining  of  which  hisTr/a/was  appointed.   Thcfe 
were  referved,  till  the  Iffue  of  his  Trial  fhould  be  feen, 

and 

*  PART  II.  Chap.  1.  Sea.  3. 


Chap.iv,    no  ArgJ  againji  Original  Sin.  357 

and  then  to  be  pronounc'd,  in  the  blefled  Sentence,  which 
would  have  been  pafs'd  upon  him  by  his  Judge, whenGod 
came  to  decree  to  him  his  Reward  for  his  approved  Fide- 
lity. The  pronouncing  thefe  latter  Bleifings  on  a  degene- 
rate Race,  that  had  fallen  under  the  Threatning  denoun- 
ced, would  indeed  (without  a  Redemption)  have  been  in- 
confiitent  with  the  Conftitution  which  had  been  eftablifhed. 
But  the  giving  them  the  former  Kind  of  BlefTsngs,  which 
were  not  the  Things  fufpended  on  the  Trial,  or  depen- 
dent on  his  Fidelity  (and  thefe  to  be  continued  for  a  Sea- 
fon)  was  not  at  all  inconfiftent  therewith. 

2.  'Tis  no  more  an  Evidence*  of  Adams  Pofterity's 
being  not  included  in  the  Threatning,  denounced  for  his 
eating  the  forbidden  Fruit,  That  they  flill  have  the  tem- 
poral Bleifings  of  Fruitfulnefs  and  a  Dominion  over  the 
Creatures  continued  to  them,  than  it  is  an  Evidence  of 
Adam's  being  not  included  in  that  Threatning  himfelf, 
That  he  had  thefe  Bleifings  continued  to  Him,  was  fruit- 
ful, and  had  Dominion  over  the  Creatures  after  his  Fall, 
equally  with  his  Posterity, 

3.  There  is  good  Evidence,  that  there  were  Bleffmgs 
implied  in  the  Benedictions  God  pronounced  on  Noah  and 
his  Pofterity,  which  were  granted  on  a  new  Foundation  : 
on  the  Foot  of  a  Difpenfation  diverfe  from  any  Grant, 
Promife,  or  Revelation,  which  God  gave  to  Adam,  ante- 
cedently to  his  Fall  ;  even  on  the  Foundation  of  theCVz'^- 
nant  of  Grace,  eftablifncd  in  Chrift  Jefus  ;  a  Difpenfa- 
tion, the  Dcfign  of  which  is  to  deliver  Men  from  the 
Curfe,  that  came  upon  them  by  Adams  Sin,  and  to  bring 
them  to  greater  Bleifings  than  ever  he  had.  Thefe  Blef- 
fmgs were  pronounced  on  Noah  and  his  Seed, on  the  fame 
Foundation, whereon  afterwards  theBleiling  was  pronoun- 
ced on  Abraham  and  his  Seed,  which  included  both  fpi-a 
ritual  and  temporal  Benefits. — Noah  had  his  Name  pro- 
phetically given  him  by  his  Father  Lantech,  becaufe  by 
him  and  his  Seed  Deliverance  fhould  be  obtained  from 
the  Curfe,  which  came  by  Adam's  Fall.  Gen.  v. 2 9.  And 
be  called* his  Name   Noah  (i.  e.  Rest,)  faying,  This 

fame 


358  BleJJings  072  Noah  &*  his  Scxs,  Part  IV. 

fame  fh all  comfort  us  concerning  our  Work,  and  'Toil  of 
cur  "Hands,  becaufe  of  the  Ground  which  the  Lord  hath 
curfed.     Purfuant  to  the  Scope  and  Intent    of  this  Pro- 
phecy (which  indeed  feems  to  refpecl  the  fameThing  with 
the  Prophecy  in  Gen.  iii.  15.)  are  the  BlefTlngs  pronoun- 
ced on  Noah  after  the  Flood.     There  is  this  Evidence  of 
thefc  Bleffings  being  conveyed  thro  the  Channel   of  the 
Covenant  of  Grace,  and  by  the  Redemption   thro  Jefus 
Chrift,  That  they  were  obtain'd  by  Sacrifice  ;  or  were  be- 
ftow'd  as  the  Effect  of  God's  Favour  to  Mankind,   which 
was  in  Confequence  of  God's  fuelling  afweet  Savour  in 
the  Sacrifice  which  Noah  offered.     And  'tis  very  evident 
by  the  Epiftle  to  the  Hebrews,  that  the  ancient  Sacrifices 
never  obtain'd  the  Favour  of  God,  but  only  by  Virtue  of 
the  Relation  they  had  to  the  Sacrifice  of  Chrift. —  That 
now  Noah  and  his  Family  had  been  fo  wonderfully  faved 
from  the  Wrath  of  God,  which  had  deftroyed  the  reft  of 
the  World, and  that  the  World  was  as  it  were  reftored  from 
a  ruin'd  State,  this  was  a  proper  Occafion  to  point  to  the 
great  Salvation  to  come  by  Chrift  :   As  it  was  a  common 
Thing,  for  God, on  Occafion  of  fome  greatT'emporal  Sal- 
vation of  his  People,  or  Reftoration  from  a  low  and  mife- 
rable  State,   to  renew  the   Intimations  of  the  great  fpiri? 
tual  Reftoration  of  the  World  by  Chri/J's  Redemption* 
God  deals  with  the  Generality  of  Mankind,  in  their  pre- 
fent  State,  far  differently,  on  Occafion  of  the  Redemption 
by  Jefus  Chrift,  from  what  he  otherwife  would  do  :    For, 
being  capable  Subjects  of  faving  Mercy,  they  have  a  Day 
of  Patience  and  Grace,  &  innumerable  temporal  Bleffings 
beftowed  on  them  ;  which,  as  theApoftle  fignifies  {Acl.xw. 
17.)  are  Teftimonies  of  God's  Reconcilablenefs  to  finful' 
Men,  to  put  'em  \\^or\  feeking  after  God. 

But  befide  the  Senfe  in  which  the  Pofterity  of  Noah  in 
general  partake  of  thcfe  Bleflings  of  dominion  over  the 

Creatures 

*  It  may  be  noted  that  Dr.  T.  himfelf  fignifies  it  as  his  Mind, 
that  thcfe  Bleffings  onNoah  were  en  the  Foot  of  thzCovenani 
ef  Grace.  P.  360,  366,  367,  368. 


Chap.iv.  no  Arg!  againjl  Original  Sin.  359 

Creatures  &c.  Noah  himfelf,and  all  fuch  of  his  Poll erity 
as  have  obtained  like  precious  Faith  with  that  exercifed 
by  him  in  offering  his  Sacrifice,  which  made  it  a  fweet 
Sav  ur,  and  by  which  it  procured  thefe  BleiTings,  have 
'Dominion  over  the  Creatures,  thro  Chrift,  in  a  more  ex- 
cellent Senfe  than  Adam  in  Innocency;  as  they  are  made 
Kings  and  Priejls  unto  God,  and  reign  with  Chrift^  and 
all  "Things  are  theirs,  by  a  Covenant  of  Grace.  They 
partake  with  Chrift  in  that  'Doininion  over  the  Beafts  of 
the  Earth,  the  Fozvls  of  the  Air,  and  Fifbes  of  the  Sea, 
fpoken  of  in  the  viiith  Pfalm  ;  which  is  by  the  Apoftle 
interpreted  of  Chrift'' s  Dominion  over  the  World.  (1  Cor. 
xv.  27.)  &  Heb.  ii.  7.)  And  the  Time  is  coming,  when 
the  greaterPart  of  thePofterity  of  Noah  &  each  of  hisSons, 
fhall  partake  of  this  more  honourable  and  excellent  Domi- 
nion over  the  Creatures,  through  Him  in  whom  all  the 
Families  of  the  Earth  fhall  be  blejfed. — Neither  is  there 
any  Need  of  fuppofing,  that  thefeBleiTings  muft  have  their 
moll  compleat  Accompliihment  until  many  Ages  after 
they  were  granted,  any  more  than  the  Bleding  on  Japhet, 
exprefs'd  in  thofe  Words,  God  fhall  enlarge  Japhet,  and 
he  fhall  dwell  in  the  Tents  of  Shem. 

But  that  Noah's  Pofterity  have  fuch  Blejjings  given, 
them  through  the  great  Redeemer, who  fufpends  Be  removes 
the  Curfe  which  came  thro  Adams  Sin,  furely  is  no  Argu- 
ment, that  they  originally,  and  as  they  be  in  their  natu- 
ral State,  arenoE  under  the  Curfe.  That  Men  have  Blef- 
fings  thro'  Grace,  is  no  Evidence  of  their  being  not  juftly 
expofed  to  the  Curfe  by  Nature  ;  but  it  rather  argues  the 
contrary  :  for  if  they  did  not  deferve  the  Curfe,  they 
would  not  depend  on  Grace  and  Redemption  for  the  Re- 
moval of  it,  and  for  bringing  them  into  a  State  of  Favour 
with  God.  i 

Another  Objeclion,  which  our  Author  ftrenuoufly  ur- 
ges againft  the  Do&rine  of  original  Sin,  is,  That  it  difpa- 
rages  the  divine  Goodnefs  in  giving  us  our  Being  ;  which 
we  ought  to  receive  with  Thankfulnefs ,  as  a  great  Gift  of 

God's 


360  Div.  Goodnefs,  not  difparagd   P.  IV. 

God's  Beneficence,  and  look  upon  as  the  firft,  original  and 
fundamental  Fruit  of  the  divine  Liberality.  * 

To  this  I  anfwer,  in  the  following  ObferVations. 

1.  This  Argument  is  built  on  the  fuppofcd  "Truth  of  a 
Thing  in  ID  if  put  e  ;  and  fo  is  a  begging  the  Queftion.  It 
is  built  on  thisSuppofition,  That  we  are  not  properly  look'd 
upon  as  one  with  our  firfl  Father,  in  theState  whereinGod 
at  firft  created  him,  and  in  hibFall  from  that  State.  If  we 
are  fo,  it  becomes  the  whole  Race  to  acknowledge  God's 
great  Goodnefs  to  them,  in  the  State  wherein  Mankind  was 
made  at  firft  ;  in  the  happy  State  they  were  then  in,  and 
the  fair  Opportunity  they  then  had  of  obtaining  confirmed 
and  eternal  Happinefs  ;  and  to  acknowledge  it  as  an  Ag- 
gravation of  their  Apoftacy  ;  and  to  humble  themfelves, 
that  they  were  io  ungrateful  as  to  rebel  againft  their  good 
Creator. —  Certainly,  we  may  all  do  this  with  as  much 
(yea,  much  more)  Reafon,  as  the  People  of  Jfrael  mT)a- 
niePs  and  j$ehetni&b\  Times,  ■  did  with  Thankfulnefs 
acknowledge  God  s  great  Goodnefs  to  their -Father j-,many 
Ages  before  and  in  their  Confeffions  bewailed,  and  took 
Shame  to  themfelves  for,  the  Sins  committed  by  their 
Fathers,  notwithflanding  fuch  great  Goodnefs. .  See  the 
ixth  C  hapter  of  ^Daniel,  and  ixth  of  Nehe?niah. 

2.  If  Dr.  T.  would  imply  in  his  Objection,  that  it  don't 
confift  with  the  Goodnefi  of  G,  d,  to  give  Mankind  Being 
in  a  State  of  Mifcry .  what  ever  was  done  before  hy  Adam, 
whether  he  finned,  or  did  not  fin  :  I  reply,  If  it  be  juftly 
fo  ordered,  that  there  fhould  be  a  Pofterity  of  JLdam, 
which  muft  be  look'd  upon  as  one  wit  fa  him,  then  'tis 
no  more  contrary  to  Gods  Attribute  of  Goodnefs,  to  give 
Being  to  his  Pofterity  in  a  State  of  Punifhment,  than  to 
continue  the  Being  of  the  fame  wicked  and  guilty  Perfon, 
who  has  made  himfelf  guilty,  in  a  State  of  Punifhment, 
The  giving  Being, and  the  continuing  Being  are  both  alike 
the  Work  of  God's  Power  and  Will,  and  both    are  alike 

fundamental 

*  P.  25b,  257,  2D0,  347, 350. 


Chap.iv.       by  our  being  born  in  Sin.       361 

fundamental  to  all  Bleflings  of  Man's  prefent  and  future 
Exigence. — And  if  it  be  faid ,It  cannot  be  juftly  fo  ordered, 
that  there  fhould  be  a  Pofterity  of  Adam,  which  fhould 
be  look'd  upon  one  with  hinyhis  is  begging  the  Queflion* 

3.  If  our  Author  would  have  us  fuppofe,  that  it  is 
contrary  to  the  Attribute  of  Goodnefs,  for  God,  in  any 
Cafe,  by  an  immediate  Aft  of  his  Power,  to  caufe  Exift- 
ence,  and  to  caufe  new  Exigence,  which  fhall  be  an  ex- 
ceeding miferable  Exiftence,  byReafon  of  Expofednefs  to 
eternal  Ruin  ;  then  his  own  Scheme  muft  be  fuppofed 
contrary  to  the  Attribute  of  God's  Goodnefs :  for  he  fup- 
pofes,  that  God  will  raife  Multitudes  from  the  dead  at 
the  lad  Day  (which  will  be  giving  new  Exigence  to  their 
Bodies,  &  to  bodily  Life  and  Senfe)  in  Order  only  to  their 
fufFering  eternal  Deftruftion. 

4.  Notwithstanding  we  are  fo  finful  and  miferable,  as 
we  are  by  Nature,  yet  we  may  have  great  Reafon  toblefs 
God,  that 'he  has  given  us  our  Being  under  fo  glorious  a 
Difpenfation  of  Grace  thro  Jefus  Chriff.  ;  by  which  we 
have  a  happy  Opportunity  to  be  delivered  from  this  Sin 
and  Mifery,and  to  obtain  unfpeakable  etevmlHappinefs. — 
And  becaufe,  thro  our  own  wicked  Inclinations,  we  are 
difpofed  fo  to  negleft  &  abufe  this  Mercy,  as  to  fail  of  final 
Benefit  by  it,thisisnoReafon  why  we  ought  not  tobethant* 

ful  for  it,  even  according  to  our  Author's  own  Sentiments. 
"  What  (fays  He  *)  if  the  whole  World  lies  in  Wicked- 
"  nefs,  and  few  therefore  fhall  be  faved  ?  Have  Men  no 
t(  Reafon  to  be  thankful,  becaufe  they  are  wicked  andun- 
*•  grateful,  and  abufe  their  Being  and  God's  Bounty  ? —  f 
"  Suppofe,  our  own  evil  Inclinations  do  with- hold  us"  * 
[  viz  from  feeking  after  Happinefs,  which  under  the 
Light  of  the  Gofpel  we  are  placed  within  the  nearer  and 
eafier  Reach  of]  "  fuppofe,  the  whole  Chriftian  World 
ft<  fhould  lie  in  Wickednefs,  and  but  few  Chriftians  fhould 
6c  be  faved  ;  is  it  therefore  certainly  true,  that  we  cannot 
rt  reafonably  tban&God  for  theGofpel  ?"  Well,  &  tho  the 

P  p  evil 

*  P.  349- 


362  Osgood,  t  ho  were  born  in  Sin.  P.  IV. 

evil  Inclination,  which  hinder  our  feeking  and  obtaining 
Happinefs  by  fo  glorious  an  Advantage,  are  what  we  are 
born  with,  yet  if  thofe  Inclinations  are  our  Fault  or  Sin, 
that  alters  not  the  Cafe  :  and  to  fay,  they  are  not  our  Sin, 
is  ftill  begging  the  Queflion.  Yea,  it  will  follow  from 
feveral  Things  aflerted  by  our  Author,  put  together,  that 
notwithftanding  Men  are  born  in  fuch  Circumilances,  as 
that  they  are  under  a  very  great  Improbability  cf  ever  be- 
coming righteous,  yet  they  may  have  Re  of  on  to  be  thank- 
ful for  their  Being.  Thus,  particularly,  thofe  that  were 
born  and  lived  among  the  Heathen,  before  Chrift  came. 
For  Dr.  1 .  afferts,  that  all  Men  have  Reafon  of  Thank- 
fulnefs  for  their  Being  ;  and  yet  he  fuppofes,  that  the 
Heathen  World,  taken  as  a  collective  Body,  were  dead 
in  Sin,  and  could  not  deliver  or  help  themfelves,  and 
therefore  flood  inNeceflity  of  the  Chriftian  Difpenfation. 
And  not  only  fo,  but  he  fuppofes,  that  the  Chriftian 
World  is  now  at  length  brought  to  the  like  deplorable  and 
helplefs  Circumflances,  and  needs  a  new  Difpenfation  for 
its  Relief ;  as  I  obferved  before.  According  to  thcfe 
Things,  the  World  in  general,  not  only  formerly, but  even 
at  this  Day,  are  dead  in  Sin,  and  helplefs  as  to  their  Sal- 
vation ;  andt  therefore  the  Generality  of  them  that  are 
born  into  it,  are  much  more  likely  to  peri  ill,  than  other- 
wife,  till  the  new  Difpenfation  comes  :  And  yet  he  fup 
pofes,  we  all  have  Reafon  to  be  thankful  for  our  Being. — 
Yea,  further  ftill,  I  think,  according  to  our  Author's 
DucVine,  Men  may  have  great  Reafon  to  be  thankful  to 
God  for  bringing  them  into  a  State,  which  yet,  as  theCafe 
is,  is  attended  with Mifery^s  it's  ^rto^Confequence.  As, 
with  Refpeflt  to  God's  raifing  the  Wicked  to  Life,  at  the 
laft  Day  ;  which,  he  fuppofes,  is  in  it  felf  a  great  Bene- 
ft,  procured  by  Ckrijl,  and  the  wonderful  Grace  of  God 
through  him  :  and  if  it  be  the  Fruit  of  God's  wonderful 
Grace,  fiarely  Men  ought  to  be  thankful  for  that  Grace, 
and  praife  God  for  it.  Our  Dcclrine  of  original  Sin, 
therefore,  no  more  difparages  God's  Goodnefs  in   Man's 

Formation 


Chap.iv.  Obj.fr.  future  Juclg.*  refuted.    363 

Formation  in  the  Womb,    than    his  Doctrine    difparages 
God  s  Goodnefs  in  their  Refurreclion  from  the  Grave. 

Another  Argument,  which  Dr.  T.  makes  Ufe  of,  againft 
the  Doctrine  of  original  Sin,  is  what  the  Scripture  reveals 
of  the  Procefs  of  the  Day  of  Judgment  ;  which  repre- 
fents  the  Judge  as  dealing  with  Men  fingly  andfeparately, 
rendring  to  every  Man  according  to  his  Deeds,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  Improvement  he  has  made  of  the  particular 
Powers  and  Talents  God  has  given  him  perfonally* 

But  tlits  Objection  will  vanifh,  if  we  confider  what  is 
the  End  or  'Defgn  of  that  publick  Judgment.  Now  this 
will  not  be,  that  God  may  find  out  what  Men  are,  or  what 
X3anifhment  or  Reward  is  proper  for  them,  or  in  Order  to 
the  pailing  a  right  Judgment  of  thefe  Things  within  him- 
felf,  which  is  the  End  of  human  Trials  ;  but  it  is  to  ma- 
nifeft  what  Men  are,  to  their  ownConfciences,  and  to  the 
Word.  A  s  the  Day  of  Judgment  is  called  theDay  of  the 
REVELATION  of  the  righteous  Judgment  of  God  \  in 
Order  to  this,  God  will  make  Ufe  of  Evidences,  or  Proofs. 
Bur  the  proper  Evidences  of  the  Wickednefs  of  Men's 
Hearts  (the  true  Seat  of  all  Wickednefs)  both  as  to  Cor- 
ruption of  Nature,  and  additional  Pollution  and  Guilt,  are 
Men's  Works. 

The  fpecial  End  of  God's  publick  Judgment  will  be, 
to  make  a  proper,  perfect,  open  T)[flinclion  among  Men, 
rightly  to  Hate  and  manifeil  their  'Difference  one  from  a- 
nother,  in  Order  to  that  Separation  and  Difference  in  the 
eternal  Retribution,  that  is  to  follow  :  and  this  Difference 
will  be  made  to  appear,  by  their  perfonal  Works. 

There  are  two  Things,  with  Regard  to  which  Men  will 
be  tried,  and  openly  di  ft  i?rniijhed, by  the  perfecVjudgment 
of  God  at  the  laft  Day  ;  according  to  the  twofold  real 
'Diftinflion  fubfifting  among  Mankind  :  viz.  (1)  The 
Difference  of  STATE  ;  that  primary  and  grand  Diflin- 
cYion,  whereby  all  Mankind  are  divided  into  two  Sorts,  the 
Righteous  and  the  Wicked.     (2.)  That fecondaryD tft in- 

P  p  i~  clion, 

*  P.  341,-343'  a"d  &7* 


364         Obj.  from  the  Procefs       Part  IV. 

clion,  whereby  both  Sorts  differ  from  others  in  the  fame 
general  State,  in  ^DEGREES  of  additional  Fruits  of 
Rightcoufnefs  and  Wickednefs.  Now  the  Judge,  in  Car- 
der to  manifeft  both  thefe,  will  judge  Men  according  to 
their  per  fom\  Works.  But  to  inquire  at  theDay  of  Judg- 
ment, whether  Adam  fin'd  or  no,  or  whether  Men  are  to 
be  look'd  upon  as  one  with  him,  and  fo  Partakers  in  his 
Sin,  is  what  in  no  Refpecr.  tends  to  manifeft  either  of  thefe 
Diftin&ions. 

1.  The  fir  ft  Thing  to  be  manifefted,will  be  the  State, 
that  each  Man  is  in,  withRefped:  to  the  gra?jd  Diftincl ion 
of  the  wholeWorld  of  Mankind  mtoRighteous  &  Wicked', 
or,  in  metaphorical  Language,  Wheat  &  'Tares  ;  or,  the 
Children  of  the  Kingdom,  of  (Thrift,  and  the  Children  of 
the  Wicked  One  ;  the  latter,  the  Head  of  the  Apoftacy; 
but  the  former,  the  Head  of  the  Reftoration  &  Recovery. 
The  Judge,  in  manifefting  this,  will  prove  Men's  Hearts 
by  thcirWorks,m  fuch  as  have  hadOpportunity  to  perform 
any  Works  in  theBody.  The  evil  Works  of  the  Children 
of  the  wicked  One  will  be  the  proper  Manifeft  at  ion  and 
Evidence  orProof  of  whatever  belongs  to  the  general  State 
of  fuch  ;  and  particularly  they  will  prove,  that  they  be- 
long to  the  Kingdom  of  the  great  Deceiver,  and  Head  of 
the  Apoftacy,  as  they  will  demonftrate  the  exceeding  Cor- 
ruption of  their  Nature,  and  full  Content  of  their  Hearts 
to  the  common  Apoftacy  ;  and  alfo  that  their  Hearts  never 
relinquifhed  the  Apoftacy,  by  a  cordial  Adherence  to 
Chrift,  the  great  Reftorer. —  The  Judge  will  alfo  make 
ufe  of  the  good  Works  of  the  Righteous  to  fh.ew  their  In- 
tereft  in  the  Redemption  of  Chrift  ;  as  thereby  will  be 
manifefted  the  Sincerity  of  their  Hearts  in  their  Accep- 
tance of,  and  Adherence  to  the  Redeemer  and  his  Righte- 
oufnefs.  And  in  thus  proving  the  State  of  Men's  Hearts 
by  their  Actions,  the  Cir  cum  fiances  of  thofe  Actions  muft 
neceftarily  come  into  Conflderation,  to  manifeft  the  true 
Qjiality  of  their  Actions;  as,  each  one's  Talents, Oppor- 
tunities, Advantages,  Light,  Motives,  &c. 

2.  The 


Chav.iv.  of  the  laft  Judgment,  anfwerd.  365 

2.  The  other  Thing  to  be  manifeded,  will  be  thaty£- 
sondary  'Di/linclion,  wherein  particularPerfons,both  Righ- 
teous and  Wicked,  differ  from  one  another,  in  the  Degree 
of  fecondary  Good  or  Evil,  that  is  fomething  befide  what 
is  common  to  all  in  the  fame  general  State  :  The  Degree 
of  evil  Fruit,  which  is  additional  to  the  Guilt  and  Corrup- 
tion of  the  whole  Body  of  Apodates  and  Enemies;  And 
the  Degree  of  perfonal  Goodnefs  and  good  Fruit,  which 
is  a  fecondary  Goodnefs,  with  Refpecl:  to  the  Righteouf- 
nefs  and  Merits  of  (Thrift,  which  belong  to  all  by  that 
fincere  Faith  manifeded  in  all.  Of  this  alfo  each  one's 
Works,  with  their  Circumdances,  Opportunities,  Talents 
&c.  will  be  the  proper  Evidence. 

As  to  the  Nature  and  Aggravations  of  the  general  A- 
podacy  by  Adam\  Sin,  and  alfo  the  Nature  and  Suffici- 
ency of  the  Redemption  by  Jefus  Chrift,  the  great  Re- 
dorer,  though  both  thefe  will  have  vad  Influence  on  the 
eternal  State,  which  Men  fhall  be  adjudged  to,  yet  neither 
of  them  will  properly  belong  to  the  Trial  Men  will  be 
the  Subje&s  of  at  that  Day,  in  Order  to  the  Manifefta- 
tion  of  their  State, wherein  they  zxediftinguifhed' one  from 
another.  They  will  belong  to  the  Bufinefs  of  that  Day 
no  otherwife,  than  the  Manifedation  of  the  great  Truths 
of  Religion  in  general  ;  as  the  Nature  and  Perfections  of 
God,  theDependence  of  Mankind  on  God,  as  their  Creator 
and  Preferver,  &c.  Such  Truths  as  thefe  will  alfo  have 
great  Influence  on  the  eternal  State,  which  Men  will  then 
be  adjudged  to,asthey  aggravate  the  Guilt  of  Man'sWick- 
ednefs,  and  mud  be.  confidered  in  Order  to  a  due  Edimate 
of  Chrid's  Righteoufnefs,  and  Men's  perfonal  Virtue  ;  yet 
being  of  general  and  equal  Concernment,will  not  proper- 
ly belong  to  the  Trial  of  particular  Perfons. 

Another  Thing  urged  by  our  Author  particularly  a- 
gaind  the  Imputation  of  Adamh  Sin,  is  this  :  "  Though, 
"  in  Scripture,  Action  is  frequently  faid  to  be  imputed, 
44  reckoned,  accounted  to  a  Perfon,  it  is  no  other  than  his 
11  own  A&  and  Deed."  *  In  the  fame  Place  he  cites  a 
,  Nu  m  be r 

*  F.  279,  &c.  381. 


366     Obj.from  the  Scripture- life    Part  IV. 

Number  of  Places  of  Scripture,  where  thefe  Words  are 
ufed,  which  he  (ays  are  all  that  he  can  find  in  the  Bible. 

But  we  are  no  Way  concerned  with  this  Argument  at 
prefent,  any  further  than  it  relates  to  Imputation  of  Sin, 
or  fin  fid  Aftion.  Therefore  all  ihat  is  in  the  Argument, 
which  relates  to  the  prefent  Purpofe,  is  this  ;  That  the 
Word  js  fo  often  applied  in  Scripture  to  fignify  God's  im- 
puting perfonal  Sin,  but  never  once  to  his  imputing  A~ 
da?ns  Sin. — So  often  !  —  How  often  ?  —  But  Twice. 
There  are  but  two  of  all  thofe  Places  which  he  reckons 
up,  that  fpeak  of,  or  fo  much  as  have  any  Reference  to, 
God's  imputing  Sin  to  any  Perfon,  where  there  is  any  E- 
vidence  that  only  perfonal  Sin  is  meant  ;  and  they  are 
Levit.  xvii.  3,  4.  &  2  Tim.  iv.  16.  All  therefore  the 
Argument  comes  to,  is  this  ;  That  the  \\rovd,i?npute,\s.  ap- 
plied inScripture,  tesTimes,to  thcCafe  of  God's  imputing 
Sin,  and  neither  of  thofe  Times  to  fignify  the  imputing  of 
j4.damh  Sin;  but  both  Times  it  has  Reference  to  perfonal 
Sin;  thereforev/^/a//zs  Sin  is  not  imputed  to  his  Polterity. — 
And  this  is  to  be  noted,  that  one  of  thefe  two  PIaces,even 
that  in  Levit.  xvii.  3,4.  don't  fpeak  of  imputing  the  Acl 
committed,  but  another  not  committed.  The  Words  are, 
What  Man  fo  ever  there  be  of  the  Houfe  tf/Tfrae1,  thai 
killeth  an  Ox  or  Lamb  or  Goat  in  the  Camp,  or  thai 
killeth  it  out  of  the  Camp,  and  bringeth  it  not  unto  the 
T)oor  of  the  Tabernacle  of  the  Congregation,  to  offer  an 
Offering  unto  the  Lord  before  the  Tabernacle  of  the 
Lord,  Blood  fhall  be  imputed  unto  that  Man  \  he  hath 
feed  Blood  j  that  Man  fe all  be  cut  off  from  among  his 
People,  i.  e.  plainly,  Murder  fliall  be  imputed  to  him  : 
He  fliall  be  put  to  Death  for  it,  and  therein  punifhedwith 
the  fame  Severity  as  if  he  had  /Iain  a  Man.  'Tis  plain 
by  Ifai.  lxvi.  3.  that  in  fome  Cafes,  a  fhedding  the  Blood 
of  Beafts,  in  an  unlawful  Manner,  was  imputed  to  them, 
as  if  they  flew  a  Man. 

But  whether  it  be  fo  ot  not,  although  in  both  tbefePla- 
ees  the  Word,  impute,  be  applied  to  perfonal  Sin,  and  to 
the  very  Aft  done  by  the  Perfon  fpoken  of,  and  in  ten 

more 


Chap.iv.  of  tket^ord,lmpute,  anjwerc/.  367 

more  Places ;  Or  altho'  this  could  be  faid  of  all  thePlaces, 
which  our  Author  reckons  up  ;  yet  that  theW ord, Impute% 
is  never  exprefly  applied  to  Adam's  Sin,  does  no  more 
argue,  that  it  is  not  imputed  to  his  Poflerity,than  it  argues, 
that  Pride,  Unbelief,  Lying,  Theft,  Opprefllon,  Perfec- 
tion, Fornication,  Adultery,  Sodomy,  Perjury,  Idolatry, 
and  innumerable  other  particular  moral  Evils,  are  never 
imputed  to  the  Perfons  that  commit  them, or  in  whom  they 
are  ;  bccaufe  the  Word, impute  tho'  fo  often  u  fed  inScrip- 
ture,  is  never  applied  to  any  of  thefeKinds  of  Wickednefs. 

I  know  not  what  can  be  faid  here,  except  one  of  thefe 
two  Things  ;  That  tho  thefe  Sins  are  not  expreily  faid 
to  be  imputed,  yet  other  Words  are  ufed  that  do  as  plain- 
ly and  certainly  imply  that  they  are  imputed,  as  if  it  were 
faid  fo  exprefly.  Very  well,  and  fo  I  fay  with  refpecl  to 
the  Imputation  of  Adam**  Sin.  The  thing  meant  by  the 
Word,  impute,  may  be  as  plainly  and  certainly  exprefTed 
by  ufing  other  Words,  zstfthat Word  were  exprefly  ufed  ; 
and  more  certainly,  becaufe  the  Words  ufed  inftead  of  it, 
may  amount  to  an  Explariation  of  this  Word.  And  this, 
I  think,  is  the  very  Cafe  here.  Tho  the  Word,  impute, 
is  not  ufed  with  refpeft  to  Adam's  Sin,  yet  'lis  (aid,  All 
have  finned  ;  which,  refpecling  Infants,  can  be  true  Onlv 
of  their  finning  by  his  Sin.  And,  'tis  laid,  By  his  Ttifo- 
bedience  many  ivere  made  Sinners  ;  and,  Judgment  and 
Condemnation  came  upon  all  by  that  Sin  ;  and  that  by  this 
Means  "Death  [the  Wages  of  Sin]  pa  [fed  on  all  Mm, 
&c.  Which  Phraies  amount  to  full  and  precife  Explana- 
tions of  the  Word,  Impute  ;  and  therefore  do  more  ccr 
tainly  determine  the  Point  really  infilled  on. 

Qv,  perhaps  it  will  be  faid,  With  refpecl  to  thofe  perfo- 
nal  Sins  fore-mentioned,  Pride,  Unbelief,  &c.  it  is  no 
Argument,  they  are  not  imputed  to  thofe  who  are  guilty 
of  'em,  that  the  very  Word,  impute,  is  not  applied  to 'em"; 
for  the  TVord  itfelf  is  rarely  ufed  ;  not  one  Time  in  a 
hundred,  and  perhaps  five  hundred,  of  thofe  wherein  the 
Thing  meant  is  plainly  implied,  or  may  be  certainly  in- 
fer'd.-— Well,  and  the  fame  alfo  may  be  retried  likewife. 
with  Refpecl  to  Adam\  Sin.  >Th 


3680#/r.flChild'sHumility,^f.«^.lV. 

5Tis  probable,  Dr.  T.  intends  an  Argument  againft  ori- 
ginal Sin,  by  that  which  he  fays  in  Opposition  to  what  R.  R. 
fuggefts  of  Children's  difccroering  the  Principles  of  Ini- 
quity, and  Seeds  of  Sin,  before  they  are  capable  of  moral 
*43ion,  *  viz.  "  That/;////?  Children  are  made  Patterns 
ef  Humility,  Meeknefs  and  Innocence,  in  Matth.  xviii.  g. 
I  Cor.  xiv.  20.  and  Pfal.  cxxxi.  2. 

But  when  the  utmoft  is  made  of  this,  there  can  be  no 
Shadow  of  Reafon,  to  understand  more  by  thefe  Texts, 
than  that  little  Children  are  recommended  as  Patterns  in 
regard  of  a  negative  Virtue,  Innocence  with  refpect  to  the 
Exercifes  and  Fruits  of  Sin,  Harmlefnefs  as  10  the  hurt- 
ful Effects  of  it,  and  that  Image  of  Meeknefs  and  Humi- 
lity arifing  from  this,  in  Conjunction  with  a  natural  Ten- 
dernefs  of  Mind,  Fear,  Self-diffidence,  Yieldablenefs,  and 
Confidence  in  Parents  and  others  older  than  themfeives. 
And  fo,  they  are  recommended  as  Patterns  of  Virtue  no 
more  thanT)oves}  which  are  an  harmlefs  Sort  of  Creature, 
and  have  an  Image  of  the  Virtues  of  Meeknefs  and  Love. 
Even  according  to  Dr.  T — r's  own  Doctrine,  no  more  can 
be  made  of  it  than  this  :  For  his  Scheme  v/ill  not  admit 
of  any  fuch  thing  as  pofitiveN'nixxQ,  or  virtuous  Difpofkion, 
in  Infants  ;  he  infilling  (as  was  obferved  before)  that  Vir- 
tue mult  be  the  Fruit  of  Thought  and  Reflexion.  But 
there  can  be  noThought  and  Reflexion,  that  produces  po- 
sitive Virtue,  inChildren.not  yet  capable  of 'moral  Aclion  ; 
and  it  is  fuch  Children  he  fpeaks  of.  And  that  little  Chil- 
dren have  a  negative  Virtue  or  Innocence,  in  relation  to 
the  pojitive  Acts  and  hurtful  Effects  of  Vice,  is  no  Argu- 
ment that  they  have  net  corruptNature  within  them  :  for 
let  their  Nature  be  ever  fo  corrupt,  yet  furely  'tis  no 
Wonder  that  they  ben't  guilty  of  pofitive  wicked  Action, 
before  they  are  capable  of  any  moral  Action  at  all. — A 
young  Viper  has  a  malignant  Nature,  though  incapable  of 
doing  a  malignant  Action,  and  at  prefent  appearing  a  harm- 
lefs Creature. 

Another 

I  I     1    _.     .1] .__!     II ■      I  ■  111  II ~~ — — j< — 

*  *-  253*  354- 


.  h  r.iv.   Obj.fr.  bad  Tendency,  anfd    369 

Another  Objection,  which  Dr.  T.  and  fome  others  offer 
againft  this  DocVme,  is,  That  it  pours  Contempt  upon  the 
human  Nature  * 

But  their  declaiming  on  this  Topic  is  like  adurefTing  the 
AfFe&ions  and  Conceits  of  Children,  rather  than   rational 
arguing  w\t\\Men.     It  feems,  thisDocVme  is  not  complain 
fant  enough. — I  am  fenfible,  it  is  not  fluted  to  the  Tafle 
of  fome,   who  are  fo  very  delicate  (to  fay  no  worfe)  that 
they   can  bear  Nothing  but  Compliment  and  Flattery. — • 
Mo  Contempt  is  by  this  DocVme  caft  upon  the  noble  Fa- 
culties and  Capacities  of  Man's  Nature,   or   the  exalted 
Bufmefs,  and  divine  and  immortal  Happinefs  he  is   made 
capJile  of.     And  as  to  fpeaking  ill  of  Man's  prefent  mo- 
ra!. State,  I  prefume,   it  will  not  be  denied,    that  Shame 
belongs  to  them  that  are  truly  finful ;  and  to  fuppofe.that 
this  is  not  the  native  Character  of  Mankind,  is  dill  but 
meanly  begging  the Queftion.     If  w  ,    as  we  come  into 
the  World,  are  truly  linful,  and   confequently  miferable, 
he  acls  but  a  friendly  Part  to  us,  who  endeavours  fully  to 
difcover  and  manifeft  our  Difeafe.     Whereas,  on  the  con- 
trary, he  a£h  an  unfriendly  Part,  who  to  his  utmofl  hides 
it  from  us  ;  and  fo,  in  Effect,  does  what  in  him  lies  to  pre- 
vent our  feeking  a  Remedy  from  That,  which,  if  not  reme- 
died in  Time,  muft  bring  us  finally  to  Shame  aid   ever* 
lafring  Contempt,  and  end  in  perfect  and  remedilcfs  De- 
flrucfion  hereafter. 

Another  Objeahn,  which  fome  have  made  againft  this 
Doctrine,  much  like  the  former,  is,  That  it  tends  to  beget 
in  us  an  ill  Opinion  of  our  Fellow-creatures,  and  fo  to 
promote  Ill-Nature  and  mutual  Hatred. 

To  which  I  would  fay,  If  it  be  truly  fo,  that  we  all 
come  finful  into  theWorld,  then  our  heartily  acknowledging 
it,  tends  to  promote  Humility  1  But  our  difouniing  that 
Sin  and  Guilt,  which  truly  belongs  to  us,  8c  endeavouring 
to  pe-rfuade  ourfeives  that  we  are  taRly  better  than  in 
Truth  we  are,  tends  to  a  foolifll  Self-Exaltation  &  Pride, 

Q_q  And 

*  P.  350,  35*« 


370  Ohj.  from  the  bad  Tendency   Part  IVC 

And  'tis  manifeft,  by  Reafon,  Experience,  and  the  Word 
of  God,  that  Pride  is  the  chief  Source  of  all  the  Conten- 
tion, mutual  Hatred,  and  i//-/7'7//,which  are  fo  prevalent 
in  the  World  ;  and  that  Nothing  fo  effectually  promotes 
the  contrary  Tempers  and  Deportments,  as  Humility. 
This  Doctrine  teaches  us  to  think  no  worfe  of  others,than 
of  our  (elves  :  It  teaches  us,  that  we  are  all,  as  we  are  by 
Nature,  Companions  in  a  miferable  heiplefs  Condition  ; 
which,  under  a  Revelation  of  the  divine  Mercy,  tends  to 
promote  mutual  Companion.  i\nd  Nothing  has  a  greater 
Tendency  to  promote  thofe  amiable  Difpofitions  of  Mercy, 
Forbearance,  Long- differing,  Gentlenefs  and  Forgivenefs, 
than  a  Senfe  of  our  own  extreme  Unworthinefs&Mikry, 
and  the  infinite  Need  we  have  of  the  divine  Pity,  For- 
bearance and  Forgivenefs,  together  with  a  Hope  of  obtain- 
ing Mercy. — If  the  Doctrine,  which  teaches  that  Man- 
kind are  corrupt  by  Nature,  tends  to  promote  Ill-will, 
why  ihould  not  Dr.  T* — r's  Doctrine  tend  to  it  as  much  ? 
For  he  teaches  us,  that  the  Generality  of  Mankind  are 
very  -wicked,  having  made  t he mj elves  Jl  by  their  own  free 
Choice,  without  any  Necetfity  :  which  is  a  Way  of  be- 
coming wicked,  that  renders  Men  truly  wort  by  of  Re- 
fentment ;  but  the  other,  not  at  all,  even  according  to  his 
own  Doclrine. 

Another  Exclamation  againft  this  DocVine  is,  That  it 
tends  to  hinder  Comfort  and  Joy,  and  to  promote  Melan* 
choly  and  Gloominefs  of  Mind.  * 

To  which  I  ihall  briefly  fay,  DoubtJefs,  dippofing 
Men  are  really  become  finful,  and  fo  expofed  to  the  Dif- 
pleafure  of  God,  by  whatever  Means,  if  they  once  come 
to  have  their  Eyesopen'd,  andiare  not  very  ftupid,  the 
Reflection  on  their  Cafe  will  tell  to  make  them  forrow- 
ful ;  and  'tis//,  it  fhould.  M8n,  with  whom  this  is  the 
Cafe,  may  well  be  fill'd  with  Sorrow,  till  they  are  fincere- 
ly  willing  to  forfake  their  Sins,  and  turn  to  God.  —  But 
there  is  Nothing  in  this  Doclrine,   that  in    the  lead  (lands 

in 


P.  231,  and  ioine  other  Places. 


Chap.iv.     of  this  DoElrine,  anjwerd.      371 

in  the  Way  of  Comfort  and  exceeding  Joy,  to  fuch  as  find 
in  their  Hearts  a  fincere  Willingnefs,  wholly  toforfake  all 
Sin,  and  give  their  Hearts  and  whole  Selves  to  Chriit,  and 
comply  with  the  Gofpel-Method  of  Salvation  by  him. 

Another  Thing  objected,  is,  That  to  make  Men  believe 
that  Wicked nefs  belongs  to  their  very  Nature,  tends  to 
encourage  them  in  Sin9  and  plainly  to  lead  them  to  all 
Manner  of  Iniquity  ;  becaufe  they  are  taught,  that  Sin  is 
natural,  and  therefore  necejfary  and  unavoidable  * 

But  if  this  Doctrine,  which  teaches  that  Sin  is  natural 
to  us,  does  alfo  at  the  fame  Time  teach  us,  that  it  is  never 
the  better,  or  lefs  to  be  condemned,  for  its  being  natural, 
then  it  don't  at  all  encourage  Sin,  any  more  than  Dr.T'—r's 
Doctrine  encourages  Wicked  nefs  that  is  become  inveter 
rate  ;  who  teaches,  that  fuch  as  by  Cuftom  have  contract- 
ed ftrong  Habits  of  Sin,  are  unable  to  help  themfehes.  \ — 
And  is  it  reafonable,  to  re  pre  fen  t  it  as  encouraging  a  Man's 
boldly  neglecting  and  wilfully  continuing  in  his  *Difeafe, 
without  feeking  a  Cure,  to  tell  him  of  his  Difeafe,  to 
fhew  him  that  his  Difeafe  is  real  and  very  fatal,  and  what; 
he  can  never  cure  himfelf  of ;  yet  withal  directing  him  to  a 
great  Phyfician,  who  is  fufficient  for  his  Reftoration  ? — • 
But  for  a  more  particular  Anfwer  to  what  is  objected  a- 
gainft  the  Doctrine  of  our  natural  Impotence  and  Inability , 
as  being  an  Encouragement  to  go  on  in  Sin,  and  a  Difcou- 
ragement  to  the  Ufe  of  all  Means  for  our  Help,  I  muff 
for  Brevity  refer  the  Reader  to  what  has  been  largely 
written  on  this  Head  in  my  Difcourfe  on  the  Freedom  of 
the  Will 

Our  Author  is  pleafecj,  to  advance  another  Notion, 
among  others,  by  Way  oajubjeclion  againft  the  Doctrine 
of  original  Sin  ;  That  if  mis  Doctrine/  be  true,  it  would  be 
unlawful  to  beget  Children.  Hejfays,  |j  "If  natural 
"  Generation  be  the  Means  of  unavoidably  conveying  all 

Q_q  2     .  "  Sin 

*  P.  139,  and  259.  f  See  his   £xpofition   of  Rom.  vii 

P.  205, ---220.     But  efppcially  in  p,\s  Paraphrafe  and  Notes 
on  the  Epiftle.        ||  P.  /145, 


372   Qbj.fr.  bad  Tendency  an/J  Part  IV, 

"  Sin  and  Wickcdnefs  into  the  World,  it  mull  it  felfbe  a 
*l  fijiful,  and  unlawful  Thing." — Now,  if  there  be  any 
Force  of  Argument  here,  it  lies  in  this  Proportion,  What- 
foever  is  a  Means  or  Occafion  of  the  certain  infallible 
Exiflence  of  Sin  and  Wickedncfs,  muft  itfelf  be  finful, 
But  I  imagine  Dr.  IT.  had  not  thoroughly  weighed  this 
Propofition,  nor  considered  where  it  would  carry  him. 
For,  God's  continuing  in  Being  the  Devil,  and  others  that 
are  finally  given  up  to  Wickcdnefs,  will  be  attended,  mod 
certainly  and  infallibly,  with  an  eternal  Series  of  the  moft 
hateful  and  horrid  Wickcdnefs.  But  will  any  be  guilty 
of  Rich  vile  Blafphemy,  as  to  fay,  Therefore  God's  up- 
holding them  in  Being  is  it  felfa finful  Thing? — In  the 
fame  Place  our  Author  {ays,  "  So  far  as  we  are  generated 
in  Sin,  it  is  a  Sin  to  be  generated.-' -  [Probably  he  in- 
tended the  atl'roe  Voice.~\  But  there  is  no  Appearance  of 
•Evidence  in  tharPbfkion,  any  more  than  inThis ;  "  So  far 
<c  as  any  is  upheld  in  Exiflence  in  Sin,  'tis  a  Sin  to  tip- 
<e  hold  them  in  Exigence."  Yea,  if  there  were  any  Reafon 
in  the  Cafe,  it  would  be  ftrongeft  in  the  latter  Pofition  : 
For  Parents,  as  Dr.  T.  himfelf  obferves,  are  not  the.  Au- 
thors of  the  Bevimiinv  of  Exiflence  :  Whereas,  God  is 
truly  the  Author  of  the  Continuance  of  Exiflence.  As 
'tis  the  known  Will  of  God,  to  continue  Satan  and  Mil- 
lions of  others  in  Being,  tho'  the  mod  fure  Confeauencc 
is  the  Continuance  of  a*,  vaft  infernal  World,  full  of  ever- 
jailing  hellifn.  Wickedncfs  :  fo  stis  Part  of  the  revealed 
Will' of  Gcd,  that  this  World '  of  Mankind  (hould  be 
continued,  and  the  Species  propagated,  for  his'  own  wife 
and  holy  Purpofes ;  which  Will  is  complied  %mth  by -the 
Parents  joined  in  lawful  Marriage.  Whofe  Children, 
though  they  come  into  the  World  in  Sin,  yet  are  capa- 
ble Subjects  cf  eternal  Kolinefs-and  Happin^fs  :  -Which 
infinite  Benefits  for  their  Ghil'drdn,  Parents  have  great 
Reafon  to  encourage  a  Hope  ofiki  the  Way  of  giving  up 
their  Children  to  God  in  Faith,  yirough  a  Redeemer, and 
bringing  them  up  in  the  Nurture  and  Admonition  of  the 
Lord.  I  think;  this  may  be  Anf.ver  enough  to  Rich  a 
Cavil.  Another 


CHAr.iv.  0£j.fr.FeiV)°&fcureTQXtSs  anf.  37 


Another  Objection  is,  That  the  Doctrine  of  original  Sin 
is  no  oftner,  and  no  more  plainly  fpoken  of  in  Scripture  ; 
k  being,  if  true,  a  very  important  Doctrine.  Dr.  T.  in 
many  Parts  of  his  Book  fuggeils  to  his  Readers,  that  there 
are  very  fevj  "Texts,  in  the  whole  Bible,  wherein  there  is 
^he  leait    \ppearance  of  their  teaching  any  fuch  Doctrine. 

Of  this  1  took  Notice  before,  but  would  here  fayNfur- 
ther ;  That  the  Reader  who  has  perufed  the  precec^ng 
Defence  of  this  Doctrine,  mull  now  be  left  to  judge  fbr 
himfelf,  whether  there  be  any  Ground  Sox  fnch  an  All< 
gation  ;  whether  there  be  not  Texts  mfufpcient  Numben* 
both  in  the  old  Teihment  and  new,  that  exhibit  undenia^ 
ble  Evidence  of  this  great  Article  of  Chriftian  Divinity  j 
and  whether  it  be  not  a  Doctrine  taught  in  the  Scripture 
with  great  Plainnefs.  I  think,  there  are  few.  if  any, 
Doctrines  of  Revelation,  taught  morei^lainly  and  exprefly. 
Indeed  it  is  taught  in  a  more 'and  exploit  Manner  in  the 
Nezv-Tejlameri,  than  the  Old  :  WW 
der\i  at  ;  it  being  thusl  with  refpecf 
t'ant  Doctrines  of  reve&'d  Religion. 

But  if  it  had  been  fcl  uhat  this;Doct\inev  were  rarefy 
taught  in  Scripture  ;  yetjtf  we  fmdt^hat  it  i 
declared  to  us  by  Godlif  there  te  good 
being  held  forth  to  us  bl  any  Wc/rd  of  his>Nfrien  what  be. 
longs  to  us,  is,  to  believi  his  Wor&&  riceivl |  the  Doctrine 
which  he  teaches  us  ;  afld  not,  hpicad^of  ih\\,  to  prefcribe 
to  him  how  often  he  fhlll  fpeall  of  it,  and  to  infift  upon 
knowing  what  Reqfonstie  hasyfor  {peaking  c|f  it  no  oftner, 
before  we  will  receive/lwhat  /he  teaches  us/;  or  that  he 
fhould  give  us  an  Acc/cjunt,  /why  he  did  ndt  fpeak  of  it 
fo  plainly  as  we  thinkable  oj/ght  to  have  clone,  fooner  than 
he  did.  In  this  Way  oFvroceediVig,  if  it  be  reafonable, 
the  Sadducees  of  ojd/wio  denied  any  jRefurrection  or 


not  to  be  w 


X 

niidjsed  a  Thing 

dence  of  its 


future  State,  might  fnf&  maintained  their  Caufe  again  ft 
Chrift,  when  he  bl^rAcl  'em  for  not  knowing  the  Scrip- 
tures, nor  the  Pother  of  God  ,  and  for  not  underftanding 


by  the  Scripture,  /hat    there  would  be  a  Refurrection  to 
fpirkual  Enjoyment,  and  not  to  animal  Life,  and  fenfual 


• 


Gratifications  ■ 


374  Obj.  fr.¥z\vx\zk&  Obfcurity  Part  IV; 

Gratifications  ;  and  they  might  have  infilled,  that  thefe 
Doctrines,  if  true,  were  very  important,  and  therefore 
ought  to  have  been  fpoken  of  in  the  Scriptures  oftner  and 
more  explicitly,  and  not  that  the  Church  of  God  ihould  be 
left,  till  that  Time,  with  only  a  few  obj "cure  Intimations  of 
that  which  fo  infinitely  concerned  them.  And  they  might 
with  Difdain  have  rejected  ChriiVs  Argument,  by  Way  of 
Inference,  frcm  God's  calling  himfelf,  in  the  Books  of 
Mofcs,  the  GOD  of  Abraham,  Ifaac  and  Jacob.  For 
Anfwer,  they  might  have  fuid,  That  Mofes  was  fent  on 
Purpofe  to  teach  the  people  the  Mind  and  Will  of  God  t 
and  therefore,  if  thefe  Doctrines  were  true,  he  ought  in 
Reafon  and  in  Truth  to  have  taught  them  plainly  and 
frequently,  and  not  have  left  the  People  to  lpell  out  i'o 
important  a  Doctrine,  only  from  God's  faying,  that  he  was 
the  God  of  Abraham,  &<?, 

One  great  End  of  the  Scripture  is,  to  teach  the  World 
rvbat  Manner  of  Being  GOD  !s  ;  about  which  the  World; 
without  Revelation,  has  been  fo  wofully  in  the  dark  :  And 
that  God  is  an  infinite  Being,  is  a  Doctrine  of  great  Im- 
portance, and  a  Doctrine  fufficicntly  taught  in  the  Scrip- 
ture. But  yet,  it  appears  to  me,  this  Doctrine  is  not 
taught  there,  in  any  Meafurc,  with  fuch  Explicitnefs  and 
Precifion,  as  the  Doctrine  of  original  Sin  ;  and  the  Soci- 
nians,  who  deny  God's  Omniprefence  and  Omnifcience, 
have  left  'em  as  much  Room  for  Cavil,  as  thePe/agians, 
who  deny  original  Sin 

Dr.  T.  particularly  urges,  That  Chrifl  fays  not  one 
Word  of  this  Doctrine  throughout  the  four  G  of  pels  ; 
which  Doctrine,  if  true,  being  fo  important,  and  what  fo 
nearly  concerned  the  great  Work  of  Redemption,  which 
he  came  to  work  out  (as  is  fuppofed)  one  would  think,  it 
fiiould  have  been  emphatically  fpoken  of  in  every  Page  of 
the  G  of  pels.* 

In  Reply  to  this,  it  may  be  obferved,  that  by  the  Ac- 
count given  in  the  four  Gofpels,  Chrifl  was  continually 

faying 

*  P.  242,  243. 


ehAr.iv.  of  Texts  pleaded,— i2«/z£-^rV.    375 

faying  tbofe  'Things  which  plainly  implied,  that  all  Men  in 
their  original  Scute  are  finful  and  mifcrable.  As,  when  he 
declared,  that  they  which  are  whole, need  not  a  Phyfician, 
bat  they  which  are  Jick  ;* — That  he  came  to  feek  and  to 
fave  that  which  was  loft  ;| — That  it  was  ncceffary  for 
all  to  be  born  again,  and  to  be  converted,  and  that  other- 
wife  they  could  not  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  :[) — 
and,  That  all  were  Sinners,  as  well  as  thofe  whofe  Blood 
Pilate  mingled  with  their  Sacrifices,  &c.  and  that  every 
me  who  did  not  repent,  fbould  peri  fb  ;J— Withal  directing 
every  one  to  pray  to  God  for  Forgivenefs  of  Sin  ;#* — 
Ufing  ourNeceflity  of  Forgivenefs  fromGod,asan  Argument 
with  all  to  forgive  the  Injuries  of  their  Neighbours  ;  j-f — 
Teaching,  that  earthly  Parents,  though  kind  to  their  Chil- 
dren.are  in  themfelves  evil$\\ — And  fignifying,  thatThings 
carnal  and  corrupt  are  properly  the  Things  of  Men  ;%% — - 
Warning  his  Diiciples  rather  to  beware  of  Men,  than  of 
wild  Beafts  ;^ — Often  reprefenting  the  WORLD  as  evil, 
as  wicked  in  its  Works,  at  Enmity  with  Truth  and  Holt? 
nefs,  and  hating  him  ;  j — Yea,  and  teaching  plainly, 
that  all  Men  are  extremely  and  inexpreflibly  unfit!,  owing 
ten  Thoufand  Talents  to  their  divine  Creditor.  _;, ... 

And  whether  Cbrift  did  not  plainly  tea,ch  jSicodemus 
the  Doctrine  of  original  total  Depravity,  when  he  came 
to  him  to  know  what  his  Doctrine  was,  mutt  be  left  to  the 
Reader  to  judge,  from  what  has  been  already  obferved  on 
J  oh.  hi.  1,— 11.  And  befides,  Chrift  in  the  Courfe  of  his 
Preaching  took  the  molt  proper  Method  to  convince  Met; 
of  theCorruption  of  theirNature,&.  to  give  them  an  effectu- 
al and  practical  Knowledge  of  it,  in  Application  to  them- 
felves, in  particular,  by  teaching  and  urging  the  holy  and 
ftrict  Law  of  God,  in    it's  Extent   and    Spirituality  and 

dreadful 

*  Matt.  ix.  12.  f  Matt.  xviii.  it.  Luk.  xix.  io.  ||  Matt, 
xviii.  3.  t  Luk.  Xiii.  1,-— 5.  **  Matt.  vi.  12.  Luk.  xi.4. 
ft  Matt.  vi.    14,    15.  and  xviii.  35.  ||||  Matt.   vii.    if. 

\X  Matt.  XV1.Z3.  %  Matt.  x.  16,  17.  +  Joh.  vii.  7.  and 
viii.  23.  and  xiv.  17.  and  xv.  18,  19.  **  Matt,  xviii,  2r. 
to  the  End. 


376  Obj.  fr.  Fewnefs  &f  Obicurity  Part  IV. 

dreadful  Threatnings  :  Which,  above  all  things,  tends  to 
fearch  theHearts  of  Men,  &  to  teach  them  their  inbred  ex- 
ceeding Depravity  ;  not  mcerly  as  a  Matter  of  Specula- 
tion, but  by  proper  Conviclion  of  Conference  ;  which  is 
the  only  Knowledge  of  original  S'n,  thac  can  avail  to  pre- 
pare the  Mind  for  receiving  Chriit's  Redemption  ;  as  a 
Man's  Senfe  of  his  own  Sicknefs  prepares  him  to  apply  in 
good  Earned  to  the  Phyfkian. 

And  as  to  Chrift's  being  no  more  frequent  and  particu- 
lar in  mentioning  and  inculcating  this  ?o'mi  in  a  doclrinal 
Manner,  'tis.grobable,  one  Reafon  to  be  given  for  it,  is 
the  fame  that  is  to  be  given  for  his  fpeaking  no  oftner  of 
God  s  creating  the  World?  Which,  tho  io  important  a 
Doctrine,  is  fcarce  ever  fpoken  of  in  any  of  Chritt  s  Dif- 
courfes  :  and  no  Wonder,  feeing  this  was  a  Matter  which 
\\\zjewsy  to  whom  he  confined  his  perfonal  Miniliry,had 
all  been  inilrueled  in  from  their  Forefathers,  and  never 
was  called  in  Quellion  among  them.  And  there  is  a  great 
deal  of  Reafon,  from  the  ancient  Jewtjh  Writers,  to  fup- 
pofe,  that  the  Doctrine  of  original  Sin  had  ever  been  al- 
lowed in  the  open  Brofeffion  of  that  People  :  *  tho  they 

were 

*  What  is  found  :n  the  more  antient  of  the  Jewi/h  Rabbles, 
who  have  wrote  fmce  the  Coming  of  Chi  ill,  is  an  Argument 
of  tills.  Many  Things  of  this  Sort  are  taken  Notice  of  by 
Stppferus,  in  his  Theokgla  Poiemica  before  mentioned.  Some 
of  thefe  things  which  are  there  cited  by  him  in  Latin,  I  (hall 
here  faithfully  give  in  Engtijh,  for  the  fake  of  the  Englijh 
Reader. 

c So  Menaffth,  concerning  human  Frailty,  Pag.  129.--- 

ic  Gen.  vin.  21.  I  will  not  any  mere  curfe  the  Earth  j or  Maris 
"  Sake  i  for  the  Appetite  of  Man  is  evil  from  his  Youth  ;  that  is, 
u  from  the  Time  when  lie  comes  forth  from  bis  Mother  s 
"  Womb.  For  at  the  fame  Time  that  he  fucks  the  Breads, 
<c  he  follows  his  Tuft;  and  while  he  is  yet  an  Infant,  he  is 
"  under  the  Dominion  of  Anger,  Envy,  Hatred  and  other 
u  Vices  to  which  that  tender  Age  is  obnoxious. "---  '  Prov. 
'  xxii.  15.  Solomon  fays,  Fooiijhnejs  is  bound  to  the  Mind  of  a 
4  Child.  Concerning  Which  Place  R.  Levi  Ben.  Gerfom  ob- 
*  fcrves  thus,   "  Fcc!ifb;:efs  as  it  were  grows  to  him  in  his  veiy 

Beginning.'* 


Chav.iv.   of  Texts  pleaded,— anfwerd.     377 

were  generally,  in  that  corrupt  Time,  very  far  from  a 
practical  Conviction  of  it  ;  and  many  Notions  were  then 
prevalent,  efpecially  among  the  Pharifeek,  which  were 
indeed  inconfiftent  witn  it.  And  tho  on  Account  of  thefa 
Prejudices  they  might  need  to  have  this  Doctrine  explain'd 
and  apply'd  to  them,  yet  'tis  well  known,/ by  all  acquainted 
with  their  Bibles,  that  Chrift,for  wifeRe'afons,  fpake  more 

R  r  iparingly 

44  Beginning"  Concerning  this  Sin,  which  is,  common  and 
c  original  to  all  Men,  David  faid,  PfaL  li.  jl&bold,  I  was 
*  begotten  in  Iniquity,  and  in  Sin  did  hy  Mother  warm  me. 
"  Upon  which  Place  Eben-Ezra  fays  tjius;  Behold,  becaufe 
44  of  the  Concupifcence  which  is  innate\\n  the  Heart  of  Man, 
"  it  is  laid,  /  am  begotten  in  Iniquity.  And  the  Senfe  is,  that 
"  there  is  implanted  in  the  Heart  of  Man  Jeizsr  harang,  a,n 
44  evil  Figment,  from  his  Nativity."      \ 

-  And  MenaJebBen.  Ifrael,  de  Fragil.  Pag.  2.  «  Behold,  I 
il  was  formed  in  Iniquity,  and  in  Sin  hath  my  Mother  warmed  me. 
<4  But  whether  this  be  underitood  concerning  the  common 
*'  Mother,  winch  was  Eve,  or  whether  David  fpake  only  of 

44  his  own  Mother,  he  would  fignify,  that  Sin  is  as  it  were 
s;  natural,  and  infeparable'm  this  Life.     For  it  is  to  be  obferv- 

45  ed,  that  Eve  conceived  after  the  Tranfgreffion  was  com- 
"  mitted  ;  and  as  many  as  were  begotten  afterwards,  were 
6i  not  brought  fonh  in  a  Conformity  to  the  Rule  of  right 
"  Reafon,  but  in  Conformity  to  diforderly  and  hiftrul  Af- 
44  feaions."  He  adds,  44  One  of  the  wife  Men  of  the  Jews, 
"  namely,  R.  Aha,  rightly  cbferv'd,  David  would  fignify, 
"  that  it  is  impoffible,'"  even  for  pious  Men,  who  excel  in 
"  Virtue,  never  to  commit  any  Sin."  c  Job  alfo  aflerts  the 
4  fame  Thing  with  David,  Chap.  xiv.  4..  faying,  V/ho  zvill 
6  give  a  clean  Thing  from  an  uridean  ?  Truly'  not  one.  Con - 
<  cerning  which  Words  Men-Ezra  fays  thus  ;  44  The  Seijtfs 
64  is  the  fame  with  that,  /  was  begotten  in  Iniquity,  becaufe 
^Man  is  made  out  of  an  unclean  Thing,"-- Siapferus, 
Theolog.  Polem.  Tom.  iii.  P.  36.  37. 

IdJbid.  P;i32,&c.  '  SoSalJarchi  adGe?naram,Cod.  .Schabbath, 
€  Fol.t4-2.Pag,2.  «  And  this  is  not  only  to  be  rcfer'd  to  Sin- 
€C  ners  ;  becaufe  all  the  Pofterity  of  the  firft  Man  are  in  like 
«£  Manner  fubjected  to  all  the  Curfis  pronounced  on  him." 
4  And  MenaUeh  Ben.  Ifrael,  in  his  Preface  to  Human  Frailty, 
«  fays     «  I  had  a  Mind  vo  (hew  by  what  Means  it  came  to 

«  pafs, 


378  O^y./r.Fevvnefs^f  Obfcurity  Part  IV. 

fparingly  and  obfcurely  of  fever  a  1  of  the  mo  ft  important 
Doctrines  of  reveal'd  Religion,  relating  to  the  NecefFity, 
Grounds,  Nature  and  Way  of  his  Redemption,  and  the 
Method  of  the  Juftification  of  Sinners, while  he  lived  here 
in  the  Flefh  ;  and  left  thefe  Doctrines  to  be  more  plainly 
and  fully  opened  and  inculcated  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  after 
his  Afcenfion. 

But 


"  pafs,  that  when  the  fir/t  Father  of  all  had  loft  his  RighteouJ- 
tc  nefsy  his  Poftefity  are  begotten  liable  to  the  fame  Punifoment 
16  with  him."— -\  And  Munjierus  on  the  Gofpcl  of  Matthew 
c  cites  the  following  Words,  from  the  Book  called  The  Bun- 
*  die  of  Myrrh  :P  The  Bleffed  Lord  faid  to  \hefirjl  Man, 
Ci  when  he  curfed'him,  Thorns  and  Thiftles  fhalt  it  bring  forth 
•«  to  thee  ;  and  ftiou  flmlt  eat  the  Herb  of  the  Field.  The 
<c  thing  which  he"  means,  is,  That  becaufe  of  bis  Sin  all  who 
*'  Jhould  defend  fro?nhi?n>  mould  be  wicked  and  perverfe,  like 
"  Thorns  and  Thijllfs';  according  to  that  Word  of  the  Lord, 
"  fpeaking  to  the.  Prophet  ;  Thorns  and  hritaicrs  are  ivith 
u  thee,  and  ihou  divcllejl  among  Scorpions.  And  all  this  is  from 
ec  the  Serpent,  who  Was  the  Devil,  Sa?n-mael>  who  emitted  a 
<c  mortiferous  and  corruptive  Poifon  into  Eve,  and  became 
cc  the  Caufe  of  Death  to  Adam  himfelf,  when  he  eat  the 
<c  Fruit".--  c  Remarkable  is  the  Place  quoted  in  Jofeph  de 
«  Vciftn,  againft  Martin  Raymund,  P-47r.  of  Mafler  Menaehem 
«  Rakanatenjis,  Seel.  Berefchit,  from  Midrafch  Tehillim  ;  which 
c  is  cited  by  Hoornhekiiis,  againfl  the  Jews,  in  thefe  Words  ; 
Ci  'Tis  no  Wonder,  that  the  Sin  of  Adam  and  Eve  is  written 
"'and  fealed  with  theKing'sRing^and  to  be  propagated  to  ail 
cc  foilowingGenerations  ;  becaufe  on  theDay  that  Adam  was 
cc  created,  all  things  were  finiihed  ;  fo  that  lie  flood  forth  the 
cc  Perfection  and  Completion  of  the  whole  Workmanfhip  of 
"  the  World  :  So  when  he  finned,  the  whole  World  finned  j. 
"  whofe  Sin    we  bear    and    fuffer.     But   the  Matter  is    not 

c'-  thus  with  refpect   to  the  Sins  of   his  Pofterity." Thus 

far  Stopfer  as. 

Befides  thefe,  as  Ainfworth  on  Gen.  8.  2.  obferves,  "  In 
tc  Berefhith Rabba  (a  Hebrew  Commentary  on  this  Place)  a 
cc  Rabbin  is  faid  to  be  afked,  IP  hen  is  the  evil  Imagination  put 
*'  into  Man  ? And  he  anfwercd./rsw  theHourthat  he  is  formed." 
And  in  Pool's  Synopfis  it  is  added,  from  Grotius,  "  So  Rabbi 
w  Salotnon  interprets  GV«.viii2i.  The  Imagination  of  Man'sHeart 

"  is' 


Chaf.iv.    of  Texts  pleaded,— anfwerd.     379 

But  if  after  all,  Chrift  did  not  fpeak  of  this  Doctrine 
often  enough  to  fuit  Dr.  T — r,  lie  might  be  afked,  Why 
he  fnppofes  Chrift  did  no  oftener,  and  no  more  plainly 
teach  fonie  of  his  (Dr.jT — r's)Doctrines,which  he  fo  much 
infills  on  ?  As,  That  temporal  "Death  comes  on  all  Man- 
kind by  Adam  ;  and,  That  it  comes  on  them  by  him,  not 
as  a  Punifliment  or  Calamity,  but  as  a  great  Favow*,he\ng 

R  r  2  made 

cc  is  evil  from  his  Youth,  of  its  being  evil^from  the  Time  that 
<l  he  is  taken  out  of  his  Mother's  Bowels."  "  Men-Ezra 
'*  thus  interprets  PfaL  li.  5.  I  was  flmpenin  Iniquity,  and  hi 
ci  Sin  did  my  Mother  conceive  me  ;  That  fcvil  Concupifcence  is 
"  implanted  in  the  Heart  from  (Zhildhoott,  as  if  he  were  formed 
4<  in  it  ;  and  by  my  Mother,  he  understands  Eve,  who  did  not 
4C  bear  Children  till  the  had  iin'd'.  jlivd  fo  Kafvenaki  fays, 
<;  How  Jhall  I  avoid  finning  P  My  Original  is  corrupt,  and  from 
c*  thence  are  thofe  Sins.  So  ManaJJcpXBen.  IJrael,  from  this 
4C  Place  (PfaL  li.  5.)  concludes,  tna|  not  only  David,  but 
"  all  Mankind,  ever  fince  Sin  wsjs'  introduced  into  the 
"  World,  do  fin  from  their  Original]  To  this  Purpofe  is 
**  the  Anfwer  of  Rabbi  Hakkadofch,\\\\\\Q\\  there  is  an  Ac- 
sc  count  of  in  the  Talmud.  From  wha\  Time  does  Concupifcence 
"  rule  over  Alan  f  From  the  very  Moment  of  his  fir jl  Formation*, 
"  or  from  his  Nativity  ?  Anf.  From\ht\ \  Formation  "--Pool's 
Synopf.  in  Loc.  \ 

On  thefe  things  I  obferve,  there  is  thi  greatefi:  Reafon  to 
fuppofe,  that  thefe  old  Rabbies  of  the  'fewijb  Nation,  who 
gave  fuch  Heed  to  the  Tradition  of  the  Riders,  would  never 
have  received  this  Doctrine  of  original  Sm,  had  it  not  been 
delivered  down  to  'em  from  their  Forefathers.  For  it  is  a 
Doctrine  very  difagreablc  to  thofe  practical  Principles  and 
Notions,  wherein  the  Religion  of  the  unbelieving  Jews  mofr, 
fundamentally  differs  from  the  Religion  maintained  among 
Chriftians  :  particularly  their  Notion  of  Jufifi cation  by  their 
own  Righteoufnefs,  and  Privileges  as  the  Children  of  Abra- 
ham, &c.  without  (landing  in  Need  of  any  Satisfaction,  by 
the  Sufferings  of  the  Meffiah.  On  which  Account  the 
modern  Jews  do  now  univerfally  reject  the  Doctrine  of  origi- 
nal Sin,  and  Corruption  of  Nature  ;  as  Stapferns  obferves. 
And  it  is  not  at  all  likely,  that  the  ancient  Jews,  if  no  fuch 
Doctrine  had  bem  received  by  Tradition  from  the  Fathers, 
^/euld  have  taken  it  up  from  the  ChrijVuvv^  whom  they  had 

in 


380  Oij.fr.Vewnefs&Obkmity  Part  IV. 

made  a  rich  Benefit,  and  a  Fruit  of  God's  abundantGrace, 
by  Chrifl's  Redemption,  who  came  into  the  World  as  a  fe- 
cond  Adam  for  this  End.  Surely,  if  this  were  fo,  it  was 
of  vaft  Importance,  that  it  mould  be  knov/n  to  the  Church 
of  God  in  all  Ages, who  faw  T>eath  reigning  over  Infants, 
as  well  as  others.  If  Infants  were  indeed  perfectly  inno- 
cent, was  it  not  needful,  that  the  T>efgn  of  that  which 

was 

in  fuch  great  Contempt  and  Enmity  ;  efpecially  as  it  is  a 
Doclrine  (o  peculiarly  sgreable  to  the  Chriftian  Notion  of 
the  fpiriiuql  Salvation  of  jefus,  and  fo  contrary  to  their  carnal 
Notions  of  the  K^effah,  and  of  his  Salvation  and  Kingdom, 
and  fo  contrary  to  their  Opinion  of  themfelves  ;  and  a  Doct- 
rine, which  Men  \n  general  are  fo  apt  to  be  prejudiced  a- 
gainft.  And  befidt^  thefe  Rabbles  do  exprefly  refer  to  the 
Opinion  of  their  Forefathers ;  as,  R.  Mer.afleh  fays,  "  Accord- 
f*  ing  to  the  Opinion  of  the  ANCIENTS,  none  are  fubject 
<c  to  Death,  but  thofe  which  have  find  :  for  where  there  is 
"  no  Sin,  there  is  no  Death"     Stapfer.  Tom.  iii.  P.  37,  38, 

But  we  have  more  direct  Evidence,  that  the  Doclrine  of 
original  Sin  was  truly  a  received  Doclrine  amongil  the  anci- 
ent Jews,  even  before  the  Coming  of  Chrift.  This  appears 
by  ancienty^i/frVVrhings,  which  were  written  beforeChrift  ; 
as,  in  the  Apocrypha,  2  Ejdras  iii.  21.  "  For  the  firft  Adam, 
C4  having  a  wicked  Heart,  tranfrreiTed,  and  was  overcome  : 
"  and  fo  be  a!/ they  that  be  horn  of  him.  Thus  Infirmity  was 
Ct  made  permanent ;  and  the  Law  alfo  in  the  Heart  of  the 
"  People,  with  the  Malignity  of  the  Root  ;  fo  that  the  Good 

*c  departed  away,  and  the  Evil  abode  ft  ill." 2  Efdras  iv.  30. 

<*  For  the  Grain  of  evil  Seed  hath  been  fown  in  the  Heart  of 
cc  Adam,  from  the  Beginning  ;  and  how  much  Ungodlinefs 
c<  hath  it  brought  forth  unto  this  Time  ?  And  how  much 
cc  mall  it  yet  bring  forth,till  the  time  of  threfhing  (hall  come  ? 
And  Chap.  vii.  46.  "  It  had  been  better,  not  to  have  given 
<{  the  Earth  to  Adam  ;  or  elfe,  when  it  was  given,  to  have 
lt  rcftrain'd  him  from  finning  :  for  what  Profit  is  it,  forlVlan 
cc  now  in  this  prefent  Time,  to  live  in  Heavinefs,  and  after 
&l-  Death,  to  look  for  Puni foment  ?  O  thou  Adam,  what  haft: 
<c  thou  done  !  For  though  it  was  thou  that  finned,  thou  art 
"  not  fallen  alone,  but  zve  all  that  com*  of  thee"  And  we  read, 
Eccluf.  xxv,  24.  "  Of  the  Woman  came  the  Beginning  of 
<c  Sin,  and  tkroiigh  her  we  all  die:' 

As 


Chap.iv.    of  Texts  pleaded,— anfwerd.    38  c 

was  fitch  a  melancholy  and  awful  Difpenfation  towards  fo 
many  Millions  of  innocent  Creatures,  mould  be  known, 
in  order  to  prevent  the  worft  Thoughts  of  God  from  ari- 
ifing  in  the  Minds  of  the  conftant  Spectators  of  fo  myfte- 
rious  and  gloomy  a  Difpenfation  ?  But  why  then  fuch 
a  total  Silence  about  it,  for  four  Thoufand  Years  toge- 
ther, 

As  this  Doctrine  of  original  Corruption  was  conjtantly  main- 
tained in  the  Church  of  God  from  the  Beginning  ;  fo  from 
tiience,  in  all  Probability,  as  well  as  from  theEvidence  of  it 
in  univerfal  Experience,  it  was,  that  theiwifer  Heathen  main- 
tained the  like  Doctrine.  Particularly  jPlato,  that  great  Phi- 
lofopher,  fo  dininguiihed  for  his  Veneration  of  antient  Tra- 
ditions, and  diligent  Inquiries  after /them.  Gale,  in  his 
Court  of  the  Gentiles,  obferves  as  Mows  ;  "  PLATO  fays 
"  (Gorg.  Fol.  493.)  I  have  heardWrotk  the  wife  Men,  thai 
"  we  are  now  dead,  and  that  the  Boclf^S'hAour  Sepulchre.  And 
"in  his  Timeeus  Locrus  (Fol.  103.  J  refafays,  The  Caufe  of 
"  Vitiofity  is  from  our  Parents,  and  firfl  lyfuiples,  rather  than 
"  from  ourfelves.  So  that  we  never  reliiiouijhlfjcfe  Anions,  which 
"  lead  us  to  fellow  the/e  primitive  Blemifies  \f  our  FIRST  PA- 
"  RENTS. ---Plato  mentions  the  Corruption  of  the  Will,  and 
"  feems  to  difown  any  Free- Will  to  true  Good  ;  albeit  he 
"  allows  fome  tvySia,  or  natura!Difpoiitions,to  JK///Good,in 
"  fome  great  Heroes.— SOCRATES  afferted  the  Corruption 
"  of  human  Nature,  or  kxkop  tpqvepp  ---Grot{us  affirms,  that 
"  the  Philofophers  acknowledged,  it  was  con  natural  to 
"  Men,  to  fin." 

SENECA  {Benef.  5.  14.)  fays,  Il'idedmfs  has  not  it's  f ft 
Te finning  in  wicked?  racWcc  ;  though  by  that  it  is  firfl  exercifed  and 

made  manifef, And  PLUTARCH  (de  Sera  vindi&a)  fays, 

Man  does  not  fir  ft  become  wicked,  when  he  firfl  manifefts  himfelf 
fo  :  but  he  hath  Wickednef  from  the  Beginning  ;  and  he  (hews 
it  as  Jocn  as  he  finds  Opportunity  &  Ability.  As  Men  rightly  judge9 
that  the  Sting  is  not  firfl  ingenderd  in  Scorpions  when  they  Jlrike^ 
or  the  Poifon  in  Vipers  zvhen  they  bite. — Pool's  Synopf.  on  Gen. 
viii.  2r. 

To  which  may  be  fubjoined  what  JUVENAL  fays, 

Ad  Mores  Natura  recurrit 

damnatos,  fixa  et  mutari  nejeia. 
Englimed  thus,  in  Profe  ; 

NATURE,  a  Thing  fix'd  and  not  knowing  how  to  change, 

returns  to  its  wicked  Manners.--- 

Watts,  Ruin  and  Recovery, 


382       The  Conclufion,  remarking  en 

ther,  and  not  oneWord.cf  it  in  all  the  old  Teftament ;  nor- 
one  "Word  of  it  in  all  the  four  Gofpeh  ;  and  indeed  not 
one  Word  of  it  in  the  whole  Bible,  out  only  as  forced  and 
wrung  out  by  Dr.  T* — r's  Arts  of  Criticifin  &  Deduction, 
fcgainft  the  piaineft  and  itrongeit  Evidence  ! 

As  to  theArguments,  made  ufe  of  by  many  lateWriters, 
from  the  univerfal  moral  Senfe,  and  the  Reafons  they 
offer  from  Experience,  and  Observation  of  the  Nature  of 
Mankind,  to  iliew  that  we  are  born  into  the  World  with 
Principles  of  Virtue^  with  a  natural  prevailing  Relifh,  Ap- 
probation, &  Love  of  Righteoufnefs,  Truth,  &  Goodnefs, 
and  of  whatever  tends  to  the  publick  Welfare  •  with  a 
prevailing  natural  Difpofitipn  to  diflike,  to  relent  and  con- 
demn what  is  felfiili,  unjufr,  and  immoral  ;  and  a  native 
Bent  in  Mankind  to  mutual  Benevolence,  tender  Com- 
panion, &c.  thofe  who  have  had  fuch  Objections  againft 
the  Doctrine  of  original  Sin,  thrown  in  their  Way,  and 
defire  to  fee  them  particularly  confidered,  I  alk  Leave  to 
refer  them  to  a  Treatife  on  the  Nature  of  true  Virtuk, 
lying  by  me  prepared  for  the  Prefs^  which  may  ere  long 
be  exhibited  to  publick  View. 

C  O   N   C  L    U    S    I   O   N. 

On  the  whole,  I  obferve,There  are  fome  oiherThm^ 
belides  Arguments,  in  Dr.  T — r's  Book,  which  are  calcu- 
lated to  influence  the  Minds,  and  bias  the  Judgments  of 
fome  Sorts  of  .Readers.  -  Here,  not  to  infill  on  the  taking 
Profeifion  he  makes,  in  many  Places,  of  Sincerity y  Hu- 
mility, Mee-knefs,  Ivlodefy,  Charity,  &c.  in  his  fearching 
after  Truth  ;  and  freely  propofnghis  Thoughts,  with  the 
Reafons  of  thgn,  toothers;*  '  Nor  on  his  magifterial 
.■ifflirance,  appearing  on  many  Occafions,  and  the  high 
Contempt  he  fometimes  expreifes  of  the  Opinions  and  Ar- 
guments of  very  excellent  Divines  and  Fathers  in  the 
Church  of  God,  who  have  thought  differently  from  him:  f 

Both 

Sec  his  Preface,  and  P.  6.  237,  265,  267,451.         f  P,iiOj 
225>  *5C>  *5r>  *59>  ibi,  183,  188,  353. 


certain  Methods  ufecl  by  Dr.  T.  &c.    383 

Beth  of  which  Things,  it's  not  unlikely,  may  have  a  De- 
gree of  Influence  on  fome  of  his  Readers  (However,  that 
they  may  have  only  their  juft  Influence,  thefe  Things 
might  properly  he  compared  together,  and  fet  in  Contra]}, 
one  with  the  other  ) — I  fay,  not  to  dwell  on  thefeMatters, 
I  would  take  fome  Notice  of  another  Thing,  obfervable 
in  the  Writings  of  Dr.  T,  and  many  of  the  late  Oppofers 
of  the  more  peculiar  Doctrines  of  Chriftianity,  tending 
(cfpecially  with  juvenile  and  unwary  Readers)  not  a-little 
to  abate  the  Force,  and  prevent  the  due  Effect,  of  the 
cleareftScripture-Evidences,  in  Favour  of  thofe  important 
Doctrines  ;  and  particularly  to  make  void  the  Arguments 
taken  from  the  Writings  of  the  Apoftle  Paul,  in  which 
thofe  Doctrines  are  more  plainly  and  fully  revealed,  than 
in  any  other  Part  of  the  Bible.  What  1  mean,  is  this  ; 
Thefe  Gentlemen  exprefs  a  high  Opinihn  of  this  Apoftle, 
and  that  very  juft ly,  for  his  eminent  Genius,  his  admirable 
Sagacity,  ftrong  Powers  of  Reafoning,  acquired  'Learn- 
ing, &c.  They  (peak  of  him  as  a  Writer  —  of  mafterly 
Addrefs,  of  exteniive  Reach,  and  deep  Defign,  every 
where  in  his  Epiftles,  almoft  in  every  Word  he  faysv 
This  looks  exceedingy/^r/Wj-  :  it  carries  a  plaufible  Ap- 
pearance of  Ghrift'tan  Zeal,  and  Attachment  re  the 
Scriptures,  in  fuch  a  Teftimony  of  high  Veneration,  for 
that  great  Apoftle,  who  was  not  only  the  principal  Inftrit- 
ment  of  propagating  Chriftianity,  but  with  li^s  own  Hand 
wrote  fo  confiderable'a  Part  of  the  new  Teftirhent.  And 
I  am  far  from  determining,  with  refpccl:  at  Itaft  to  fome 
of  thefe  Writers,  that  they  are  not  Sincere  injtheir  Decla- 
rations, or  that  all  is  rhecr  Artifice,  only  tbf  make  Wry 
for  the  Reception  of  their  ozvn  peculiar  Sentiments.  How- 
ever, it  tends  greatly  to  fubferve  fuch  a  PurpoVe  ;  as  much 
as  if  it  were  deflgnedly  contrived,  with  the  utmoft  Sub- 
tlety, for  that  End.  Hereby  their  incautious  Readers  arg 
prepared  the  more  eafily  to  be  drawn  into  a  Belief,  that 
they,  and  others  in  their  way  of  thinking,  have  not  rightly 
underjlood  many  of  thofe  Things  in  this  Apoftle's  Wri- 
tings, which  before  feem'd  yery  plain  to-  them ;   and  they 

are 


384        77>e  Conclusion,  remarking  o?i 

are  alfo  prepar'd,  by  a  PrepoflefTion  in  Favour  of  thcfe 
netu  Tenters ,  to  entertain  a  favourable  Thought  of  the 
Interpretations  put  by  them  upon  the  Words  andPhfafes  of 
this  Apoftle  ;  and  to  admit  in  many  Paflages  a  Meaning 
which  before  lay  intirely  out  of  Sight;  quite  foreign  to  alt 
that  in  the  View  of  a  common  Reader  feems  to  be  their 
obvious  Senfe  ;  and  mod:  remote, from  the  Expofitions  a- 
greed  in  by  thofe  which  ufed  to  be  efteemed  the  greateft 
Divines,  and  bed  Commentators.  For  they  muft  know, 
that  this  Apoftle  being  a  Man  of  no  vulgar  Under- 
ftanding,  it's  nothing  fl range  if  his  Meaning  lies  very 
deep  ;  and  no  Wonder  then,  if  the  fuperficial  Difcerning 
and  Obfervation  of  vulgar  Chriltians,  or  indeed  of  the 
Herd  of  common  Divines,  iuch  as  the  JVeftminfter- 
^fembly  &c.  falls  vaftly  fhort  of  the  Apoftie's  Reach, 
and  frequently  don't  enter, into  the  true  Spirit  and  Defign 
ef  PauVs  Epiftles.  They  muft  understand,  that  the///? 
Reformers,  and  Preachers  and  Expofitors  in  general,  both 
before  and  fince  the  Reformation,  for  fifteen  or  fixteen 
Hundred  Years  paft,  were  too  unlearned  atidjfrort- fijghtedj 
to  be  capable  of  penetrating  into  the  Senfe,  or  fit  to  un- 
dertake the  making  Comments  on  the  Writings  of  fo  great  a 
Man  as  this  Apoftle ;  or  elfe  had  dwelt  in  a  Cave  of  Bigotry 
and  Superflition,  too  gloomy  to  allow  'em  to  ufe  their 
own  Underftandings  with  Freedom,  in  reading  the  Scrip- 
ture. But  at  the  fame  Time,  it  muft  be  ynderftood, 
that  there  is  rifen  up,  now  at  length  in  this  happy  Age  of 
Light  and  Liberty,  a  Set  of  Men,  of  a  more  free  and  gene- 
rous Turn  of  Mind,  a  more  inqiufitfve-Gjnius,  and  bet- 
ter Difcernment.  By  fachlnfinuations,  tncy  fedlAdvan- 
tsTgcto  their  Caufe  ;  and  thus  the  nlfcft  unreasonable  and 
extravagant  Interpretation?  of  Scripture  are  palliated  and 
recommended  :  So  that,  if  the  fimple  Reader  is  not  very 
much  on  his  Guard,  if  he  don't  clearly  fee  with  his  own 
Eyes,  or  has  too  much  Indolence,  or  too  littleLeifure,  tho- 
roughly to  examine  for  himfelf  (as  few,  alas,  are  willing 
to  be  at  the  Pains  of  acquainting  themfelves  fo  thoroughly 
with  the  Apoftle's  Writings,  and  of  comparing   one  Pait 

of 


certain  Methods  ufed  by  Dr.  T.  &*c.    385 

11 

of  them  with  another,  fo  as  to  be  fully  able  to  judge  of 
thefe  Gentlemen's  Gloffes  &  Pretences)  in  thisCafe,he  is  in 
Dinger  of  being  impofed  on  with  delufive  Appearances; 
as  he  is  prepared  by  this  fair  Pretext  of  exalting  the  Sa- 
gacity of  the  Apoftle,  and  by  a  Parade  of  Learning,  Criti- 
eifm,  exact  Verfion  Penetration  into  the  true  Scope,  and 
Difcerning  of  wonderful  Connections,  together  with  the 
Airs  thefe  Writers  afiume  of  dictatorial  Peremptorinefs,and 
Contempt  of  old  Opinions  srnd  old  Expofitions  ;  I  fay, 
fuch  an  one  is  by  thefeThings  prepared  tdfvallow  Orange 
Doctrine,  as  trailing  to  the  fnperiour  Abilities  of  thefe 
modern  Interpreters. 

But  I  humbly  conceive/tr^ir  Jnter^retltions,  particu- 
larly of  the  Apod le  Paul's  wrkjnga/thjpn;  fome  Things 
ingenious,  yet  in  many  Things  cpn/ernj#g  tfiefe  great  Ar- 
ticles of  Religion,  are  extremelx/ab^rd,  a/id  demondra- 
bly  difagreable,  in  the  highefl  Jjkd&e,  to  pis  real  Defign, 
to  the  Language  he  commonly/iirai,  and/to  the  Doctrines 
currently  taught  in  his  EpidleX  /Their  CrU'tcifms ,  when 
examined,  appear  far  ntoj&fifot\%th&n  folid ;  and  it  ferns 
as  if  Nothing  can  poffibly  be  drong  enough  Nothing 
perfpicuous  enough,  in  arty  Compofure  whatever,  to  ftand 
before  fuch  Liberties  as  thefe  Writers  indulge  :  The  plain- 
ed: and  mod  nervous  Difcourfc  is  analyfed  and  cr  ticized, 
till  it  diiTolves  into  Nothings  or  till  it  becomes  a  Thing  of 
little  Significance  :  The  holy  Scripture  is  fubtilifed  into 
a  meer  Mid  ;  or  made  to  evaporate  into  a  thin  Cloud, that 
eafiiy  puts  on  any  Shape,  and  is  moved  in  any  Direction, 
with  a  Puff  of  Wind,  'juft  as  the  Manager  pleafes.  ?T-^ 
not  in  tlrgfftfatufPand  Power  of  Language,  to  afford  f . 
cient  Defence  again fWuch  an  Art,  fo  abu fed  ;  as,  1  ima. 
gine,  a  due  confideration  of  fome  Things  1  have  hadt3c- 
caflon  in  the  preceding  Difcourfe  to  obferve,  may  abun- 
dantly convince  us. 

But  this,  with  the  red  of  what  I  have  offered  on 
this  Subject  of  original  Sin,  mud  be  left  to  every  can- 
did Reader  to  judge  of,  for  himfelf ;  and  the  Succefs 
©f  the  whole  mull  now  be  left  with  GOD,  who  knows 

S  f  what 


386 


The  Conclusion. 


what  is  agreab'e  to  his  own  Mind  and  is  able  to  make  his 
own  Truths  prevail  ;  however  myfterious  they  may  feem 
to  the  poor,  partial  narrow  and  extremely  imperfect 
Views  of  Mortals,  while  locking  through  a  cloudy  and 
delufory  Medium  ;  and  however  difagreable  they  maybe 
to  the  innumerable  Prejudices  of  Men's  Hearts  : —  And 
who  has  promi fed,  that  the  Gofpel  of  CHRIST,  fuch  as 
is  really  his,  ihall  finally  be  victorious  ;  and  has  allured 
us,  that  the  Word  which  goeth  out  of  his  Mouth,  Jball 
not  return  to  him  void,  but  /hall  accomplifh  that  which 
he  pleafeth,  and  Jh  all  prof  be  r  in  the  thing  whereto  he  fends 
it. — Let  GOD  arife,  and  plead  his  own  Caufe,  and  glo- 
rify his  own  great  Name.     AMEN. 


r  H  E    END. 


^o<xxxxxxkxxxx>x<x>s<xx>d<xxxxxxxxx>:;<)c<x 

E  R  R^  T  A. 
pAg.  10.  lin.  $.  dele  xhzMxrk  refenpng  to  the  Ma^n.— P.  27.  I.  17. 
read,  <wthe  Decifion— P.  30.  1  f.  r.  ihefe— ibid  1.  7.  r.  Ohjiftions* — 
P.52.  1.  23.  r.  guilty  of—  P.  34  1  2<^  r.  great  Number— P.  35,Marg. 
Note,  1.  10.  r.  intervening— P.  45.  U25.  r.  at  leaf—?.  78  I.19  r.  ex- 
cite to—  P.  9s.  1.  4.  r.  Part  of— P.  IC5.  1.  3.  r.  fix'd  Caufe  -P.  115. 
J.  12.  r.  t.vefe  Ob]sf\s—P.  151,  1.  16  r.  Degree,  of  -P.  218.  1.  rg.  r. 
is,  that  that  fame— P.  264.  1.  1.  r.  Sarah  ;  or  would--- 

N.  £.  The  Lines  in  the  Margin  of  Fag-  to.  properly  belong  to  the 
Extra&s  in  the  llarg.  of  P.  8.  and  are  to  be  read    in  Ccnr.eclion  with 

thern, The  Sheet  L,  next  afterP^.144.  having  thePages  numbred 

wrong  ;  for  1  ;t„  put  145,  and  fo  on  to  the  firft  160,  which  fhonld  be 
1 52.'—  LefTer  Efcapes  in  Literals,  and  Pointings,  are  left  to  theCandcur 
of  intelligent  Readers. 


^V*V*^^^•■v•''•■^V•,^■•■■v••S<'v^-..''^.•■"•■.:JN••'*^•••^.:-■V/^<!SO^£2^«0<i 


A  Lift  of  SUBSCRIBERS, 

in  Alphabetical  Order. 

A 

THeHon  John  k^ox^^CharlePiownMaffachufets 
Mr.  John  Adams,  Milton,  Mafachufetts. 
Mr.Ifrael  Afliley, HampfireCounty.Mafach.     6  Books, 
Mr.  Jacob  Afliton,    Ditto. 

B 

REv.  Mr.  John  Ballantine,^/?^W,  Mafachufetts. 
Rev.  Mr.  Stephen  Badger,  No  tick.  Mai  at 
Mr.  Eliphalec  Ball,  Hampjbire  County,  Mafachufetts. 
Mr.  Samuel  Bacon, 

Mr.  Elijah  Baker,   Hampshire  County,  Mafachufetts. 
Mr.  Caleb  Burnham,  Conneclicut. 
Mr.  Noah  Baker,  Harhp/b'tre  County,  Mafachufetts. 
Mr.  Stephen  Baker,   Ditto.  6  Books. 

Mr.  Jabez  Baker,  Ruling  E\der,Ghcefter,Mafacbufetts. 
Rev   Mr.JoiephBQ\hmy,Betb!em, Conneclicut.    6  Books, 
Capt.  Samuel  Beebee,  Salisbury,  Conn-  clicut.    6  Books. 
Mr.  Ebenezer  Beeman,   Kent,  Conneclicut. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Bird,  Salisbury  Conneclicut. 
Mr.  John  Bickford,  m 

Mr.  Solomon  Bill,   Kent,,  Wonnecli</ut,  6  Books. 

Rev.  Mr.  Daniel   Blifs,    Che  or  d,  Mafachufetts. 
Rev.  Mr.  Ebenezer  ^qfcemFarmingfon,  Conneclicut. 
Rev.  Mr.  Daniel  Brimfmadl,  Moodbury,  Con.     6  Books. 
Mr.  Samuel  Brown,   Stocteridge,   Mafachufetts. 
Mr.   Samuel   Brown,   Jun.    Ditto. 

Mr.  Samuel  Brown,  Guilford\Conne  clicut.  6  Books, 

Mr    Chriflopher  Brown,   Conneclicut. 
Mr.  Daniel  Brown,  County  of  Hampjh ire, Mafachufetts 
*  Rev.  Mr.  Aaron  Burr,  late  Prefident  of  the  College  of 

{New-jferfey,  6Books, 
Mr.  EleazerBurt,  Northampton. 
Mr.  Manning  Bull,  Student  of  Mathematicfe  fl.Yorh 

S    i"  2  C. 


SUBSCRIBERS, 
C 

MR.  Jofah  Cawdey,  Farmingtm,  Connecticut. 
Rev.  Benjamin  Chapman,   Ditto.,  6  Books, 

Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Clark,      Ditto. 
Rev.   Mr.  Peter  Clark,  *Danvers,    Maffacbufetts. 
Mr.   Caleb   Clark,     Ditto. 
Mr.  Hugh    Clark      Ditto.     ' 

Mr.  Jonathan.  Clark,   Southampton.Maffacbuf  6  Books. 
Mr.  George   Clark,   Milford,   Connecticut. 
Rev.  Mr.  John  Cleaveiand,  Ipfwick,  Maffacbufetts. 
Rev.  Mr.  Eben:zer  Cleaveiand,    Glocefter. 
John  Cotton,   A    M.   Plymouth,  Maffacbufetts. 
>•■  r.  Abel  Comftock,   Kent,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Richard  Crouch,  Student,  Tale-College.  *" 

Mr.  David  Curtis,  Woodbury,  Connecticut. 

D. 

DEacon  Samuel  Davis,  Glocefter,  Maffacbufetts. 
Rev.  Mr.  Jofeph  Davis,  Holden,   Maffacbufetts. 
Mr.  vlofes  Dewey,  Hampjhire  County,  Maffacbufetts. 
Mr.    Martin  Dewey,  Ditto.  6  Books. 

Timothy  Dwight,  Efq;  Northampton,  MaJJ.     6  Books. 

E 

REv.  Mr,  Andrew  Eliot,    Bofton,  Majfachufetts. 
Mr.  Jehofapbat.Eldred,   Kent,  Connecticut. 
Rev.  Mr. -Jofeph  Emerfon,  Maiden,  Majfachufetts. 
Rev.  Mr.  Daniel  Emerfon,  mollis,  Nezv- Hampjhire. 
Rev.  Mr.  Jofeph  Emerfon,  PepperrelL  Majfachufetts. 

MR.  Richard  Falrman,  Connecticut,  6  Books. 

Capi.VfilYiamF'itch, Canter  bury, Con. 
Mr.  John  Finney,  Jun.  Kent,  Connecticut,        6  Books. 
Jonathan  Fitch,  A.  M.  Connecticut. 
Rev.  N/!r.  Thomas  Foxcroft,  Bofton,  Majfachufetts. 
Mr.  Philip  Freeman,        Ditto. 

Rev.  Mr.  Eli  Furbifh,   Brookjield,  Majf.       12  Books. 
Mr.  Adiger  Fuller,  Kent,  Connecticut. 

G 
Mr.   Mofes  Gill,   Bofton,  Maffacbufetts. 
]\<r.  Jofh.ua  Goodale,  Mr. 


SUBSCIBERS. 

Mr.  Benjamin  Goodhue,   Salem,  Maffacbufetts. 

Rev.  Mr .John(jrzh^m^So0fbborougb,Conneclictit.6Bodk^ 

Rev.Mr.Chauney  Graham,  Rumbout  ,N eiv-York .  6Books. 
Mr.  Ricfiard-Crouch  Graham,  Student,  Yale-College. 
Mr.  Donald  Grant,  Connecticut.  6  Books. 

Mr.Ed\VkUndGr2iVQspRu\\ngE\dcrtGloceJ}erfAlaJ/acht(fetts 

H 

JOfeph    Hawley,  Efq;-  Northampton,  Mojfachufetts. 
Rev.   y  r.^  Gideon  Hawley,  Majhpee,  Majfachufetts. 
Mr.  Jorrti  Hathorn, 

Lieut.  I  Inathan  Hall,  New-Fair  field,  ConneBlcut. 
Rev.Mr.SamuelHopkins,S/^^/J,A/q^^^^j.6Books. 
Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Hopkins,  Hadley,  Ditto.  9  Books. 

Air.  Daniel  Hopkins,  Yale-College. 
Rev.  Mr.  John  Hooker,  Northampton ,MaJJach  6Books. 
Rev.  Mr.  William  Hobby,  Reading,  JVJaJ/l  6  Books. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Hunt,  Northampton,  Ditto.  6  Books. 

I 

MR.  John  Ingerfoll,  Ham p /hi re  County. 
Deacon  Daniel  Jones,  Bo/lon,  Maffacbufetts. 
Mr.  David  Judfon,   Connecticut. 
Mr.  JciTe   Ives,   Student,  Yale-College. 
Mr.  Jonathan  Judd,   Southampton ,  6  Books. 

K 

Ev.  Mr.  Elilha  Kent, Connecticut.    ■ 

M&.  Samuel  Kent,  Thrthampton,  Maffacbufetts^ 
Mr.  Mofs  Kent,  Attorney  atLaw, Pogh..eepJie,New-YcrL 
Mr.  Edward  Kitchin, 

Rev.  Mr.  Ebenezer  Knibloe,  Philippi,  New-York. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Kneeland,  Bojlon,  Maffacbufetts. 

L 
Rev.  Mr.  Dudley  Leavitt,  Salem,  Maffacbufetts. 
Rev.  Mr.  Jonathan  Lee,  Salisbury,  Connecticut,  6  Book£ 
Rev.  Mr.  Mark  Leavenworth ,  Water  bury, ~D\no.  6  Books. 
Rev  .Mr.  Ifrael  Loring,  Sudbury,  Maffacbufetts. 
Mr.  Benjamin  Lyman,  Southampton,  Ditto. 

,      M.  Capt. 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

M 
(Apt.Alex.McKnot,  Londonderry, New  Ham.  6  Books 

Mr.  Nehemiah  Mead, Connecticut.       6  Books, 

Mr.  Matthew  Meriam,  Student  at  Tale-College. 
Mr.  John  Metcalf,    Bellingham,   Maffachufetts . 
Lieut.  Jonathan    Mills,  Kent,  Connecticut.  6  Books, 

Rev.  Mr.  John  Moorhead,    B  oft  on,   Mafjachufeits. 

N 

REv.  Mr.  Samuel  Nowell,  Farmington,  Connecticut. 
Rev.  Mr:  Abel  'Newell,  Go/ben,    Ditto.    6  Books. 
•Mr.  Ebenezer  Norton,      Ditto.  6  Books. 

O 
Rev.  Mr.  Sylvanus  Ofhorne,    Connecticut.  6  Books. 

P 

THe  lion.]ofe\ihVynchon,EC^Bofton,MaffachuJetts. 
Rev.Mr.EbenezerParkman;^?y7^r5'Mfl^6Books 
Rev.  Mr.  Jonathan  Parions,  Newbury,  Ditto.  6  Books. 
Rev.  Mr.  Ebenezer  Pemberton,  Bo/ton,  Ditto. 
Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  Phillips, \  Andover,  Ditto.  6  Books. 
Mr.  William  Philips,  Bofton,  Ditto. 

Mr.  Charles  Phelps,  Hadley, Attorney  at  Law.     6  Books. 

Mr.  Timothy  Pickering 

Rev.  Mr.  Timothy  Pitkin,  JS^rmhigton, Conned.  6  Books. 

Mr.  Afhbel  Pitkin,  Ditto. 

Rev.  Mr.  Nehemiah  Vonerflpfwich,  Majf. 

Mr  Ebenezer  Pomroy,  Northampton,    MaJJachufetts. 

Col.  Seth  Pomroy,    Northampton,        Ditto.     6  Books. 

Mr.  Ebenezer  Pool,    Glocefter,  Ditto, 

Capt.  Elifha  Pomroy,   Northampton,    Ditto.    1 2  Books. 

Mr.   Seth  Pomroy,  A..  B 

Rev.  Mr.  Peter  Powers,  Norwich,  Conne'cl'icut. 
Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  Prince,    Bofton,  Majfachufetts. 

Mr.  Thorndike  Proclor, 

Rev.  Mr.  Job  Pruden,   Milford,  Connecticut.    6  Books. 
Mr.  Jofeph  Pratt,  Kent,         Ditto.  6  Books. 

Eleazer  Porter,  Efq;     Hadley,  Majfachufetts,   6  Books. 

R 

MR.  Robert  Ranfom,     Kent,  Connecticut,  6  Books. 
Mr.  Grindal  Ravvfon,  Student,  YalcCdlege. 

Rev. 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

Rev.  Mr.  Nathanael  Rogers,  Ipfwick,  Maffachufetts. 
Rev.  Mr.  Daniel  Rogers,    Exeter ,   Ncw-Hampjhire. 
Rev.   Mr.  Benajah  Roots,  Simsbwy,  Connecticut,  6Book.s. 

Mr.  Hewit  Root, Connecticut. 

Rev,  Mr.  David  Rowland,  Plainj'eld,  Connecticut. 
Mr.  Ifrael   Rowley,       Kent,  Ditto. 

Lieut.  John  Row,  Glocefler,    Maffachufetts. 
Mr.  Jonathan  Ropes,    Jnn. 

Mr.  Jonathan  Riut,  Northampton,  Maffachufetts. 

S 

REv.  Jofeph  Sewall,  D.  T>.Bofl<m,Maffach.  i  Books. 
Mr.  Edmund  Sawyer,  Newbury,  Ditto.  6  Books. 
Mr.  Julius  Sacket,  Kent,  Connecticut. 

Rev.  Mr.  John  Searl, Connecticut. 

Rev.  Mr.   Jofiah  Sherman,    Wobourn,  Maffachufetts, 
William  Skinner,  Efq;  Bo/ton,  Ditto. 

Mr.  JeiTe  Smith, Connecticut. 

Mr  Jofeph  Smalley,  Kent,  Connecticut. 

Mr.  John  Smalley,    A.  M.   Cornwall,  Connecticut. 

Reuben  Smith,  A.  M.     Farmington,   Connecticut. 

Afa  Spalding,   A.  M.     Connecticut. 

Rev.  Mr.  James  Sprout, Guilford.  Connecticut.    6  Books. 

Rev  Mr.ThomasStrong,NeztgMartboro\MaffachufettSs 

Mr  Nehemiah  Strong,  A.  Bf- Connecticut. 

Mr.  Simeon  Stoddard,  A.  Bff- Ditto. 

Mr.  Noah  Strong,  , Ditto. 

"Tk    ,f  R  James  Taylor,   Tale  College. 

1VJ    Mr   Gerihom  Tenney,  BJbflon,  Maffachufetts. 
Amos  Thompfon,   Efq; — ^CondeClkut.  6  Books 
Mr.  Ifaac  Thomlinfon,  Waterbikry , Connecticut ,  6  Books. 
Mr.    Jofeph  Thurfton,  Glocefler,  Maffachufetts. 
Mr  Samuel  Torrey,    Jun   Boflon,  Ditto. 
Rev.  Mr.   John  Trumball,  JVeflerly,  Connecticut. 
Rev.  Mr   Henry  True,  Hampflead,  New-Hampfhirc. 
Royall  Tyler,  Efq;    Boflon,     Maffachufetts. 

W 

REv.  Mr.  John  Walley,  Ifpwich,  Maffachufetts. 
Rev.  Mr.NoahWadham,A w-Pn?y?«w,  Connecticut. 

Mr. 


SUBSCRIBERS, 

Mr  Miles  Ward,  Jim 

Rev  Mr    Ebenezcr  White,  Connecticut- 

Mr   Jonathan  Welles,  Hampfbire  County,  Maffachufetts. 
Mr    Stephen  Weft,        Ditto 
Mr.  William  Whkwell,   Bofion,  Maffachufetts, 
Lieut   Livcrmore  Whitbridge,  Beverly,   Maffachufetts. 
Rev    Mr.  Samuel  Wigglefwd  thjpfwich,  Maffachufetts- 
Rev.  Mr  '  Stephen  Williams,  Springfield,  Maffachufetts, 
Rev    Mr    Benjamin  Woodbridge,  Amity,  Connecticut  ■ 
Timothy  Woodbridge,  Efq;  Stockbridge,  Maffachufetts. 
Mr   Jofeph  Woodbridge,   Ditto 

Richard  Woodhall,  A    M Connecticut 

M.\  Afa  Wright,  County  of  Hampfbire,  Maffachufetts, 
Mr.  Selah  Wright,  County  of  Hampfbire  Maffachufetts. 
Mr.  Stephen  Wright,  Southampton,   Maffachufetts. 


"ffhefollowingSubfcriptions  (fin  theOrder  as  received) from 
Edinburgh  in  Scotland,  are  not  only  for  this  Piece  on 
Original  Sin,  but  alfo  for  our  Authors  other  Book 
prepared  for  thePrefs  upon  the  Nature  of  Virtue. 

THe  Right  Hon.  the  Earl  of  Leven. 
Robert  Craigie,  Efq;  of  Glendoig,    Lord  Prefident 
of  the  Court  of  Seffion. 

Sir  James  Fergufon,  of  Killkerran,  Baronet. 

Alexander  Frafer,  Efq;  of  Stricken^  one  of  the  Senators 
of  the  College  of  Juftice. 

Henry  Hume,  Efq;  of  Kaims,one  of  the  Senators  of  the 
College  of  J u Rice. 

Alexander  Bofwell.  Efq;  of  Auchenlecl,  one  of  the  Sena- 
tors of  the  College  of  Juflice. 

Mr.  Robert      ackentofh,  Advocate. 

Robert  Well  wood,   of  Garvock,  Efq;  2  Books. 

Patrick  Boyle,  Efq;  of  Shualton,  one  of  the  Senators  of 
the  College  of  "fnftice. 

James  Nimmo,  Efq;  Cafhier  of  Excife  in  Edinburg. 

Mr.  ft&ichael  Menzics,  Advocate  in  Edinburg. 

Kev. 


SUBSCRIBERS. 

Rev.  Mr.  Alexander  Webfter,  Minifler  in  Edinburg. 
Rev.  Mr.  John  Erikine,  Minifler  in  Edinburg. 
Rev.  Mr.  John  Bonnar,  Minifler  in  Perth. 
Rev.  Mr.  James  Smith,  Minifter  of  New  burn,  3  Books. 
Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  Randal,  Minifter  at  Inchture. 
Rev.  Mr.  James  Robert fon,  ProfefTor  of  Oriental  Lan- 
guages in  Edinburg. 
Mr.  Archibald  Ladley,Preacher  of  theGofpel  in  Edinburg. 
Mr.  CharlesLogan,Preacher  of  theGofpel  injEa'/Vz.g  Books 
Mr.  William  Hogg,    Merchant  in  Edinburg,        6  Books. 
Mr.  James  Grant,  Merchant  in  Edinburg.  6  Books. 

Mr.  John  Walker,  Merchant  in  Edinburg. 
Mr.  William  Ramfey,    Writer,  Edinburg. 
Mr.  John  Can,  one  of  the  Clerks  of  Excife,  mEdinburg, 
Mr.  William  Braidwood,  Candlemaker  in  Edinburg. 
Mr.  Robert  Scot,    Merchant  in  Edinburg. 
Rev  Mr.johnGowdie,  Principal  of  the  College  ofEdink 
Rev.  Mr  Robert  Hamilton.  ProfefTor  of  Divinity  mEdinb. 
Mr.  Robert  Walker,  Surgeon  in  Edinburg 
Mr.  Archibald  Wallace,  Merchant  in  Edmbwg. 
Rev.  Mr.  Adam  Wedderftone,  Minifter  of  Bathgate. 
William  Wardrop  of  Cull,   Efa;  '      * 

Rev.  Mr.  John  Gillies.  Miniftlr  of  Glafgajv. 
Mr.  Robert  Scot,   Merchant  impfafgow. 
Mr.  John  Hamilton,  Sen.  MercTaanc  in  Glafgovj. 
Mr.  George  Brown,  Merchant  iLGla/gow. 

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